Boeing Patents Strut Design to Accommodate Open Fan Engines
The Boeing Company has patented an innovative solution to address the geometry problem posed by open fan engines in narrow-body aircraft. The patent, titled 'Aircraft with Overwing Engine Position,' describes a strut that attaches to the underside of the wing and wraps over to support the engine above it.
The design is aimed at accommodating both conventional ducted turbofans and open rotors on the same aircraft. This flexibility allows Boeing to commit to an airframe without having to bet on the winning engine technology.
Boeing's patent builds upon the work of General Electric and Safran, which abandoned their open rotor project in the 1980s due to high production costs and passenger complaints about cabin noise.
The current project, RISE (Regional Integrated Propulsion Engine), targets a 20% reduction in fuel burn compared to today's best engines. With over 500 test campaigns and more than 3,000 endurance cycles completed, the program is on track for flight testing 'later this decade.'