Honeywell Upgrades All Earlier TFE Engines

Honeywell has rounded out its TFE731 turbofan upgrade program for "legacy" engines since last year's NBAA convention, and is now offering kits to bring all older variants to the latest configuration.

Honeywell's newest program addresses the TFE731-3 that powers retrofitted BAe Hawker 125-600 and production 125-700 midsize business jets, upgrading the engines to Dash 4 configuration with associated improvements
in reliability, durability, and performance.

Honeywell's TFE manager Ralph Alberto, says the modification replaces the Dash 3 engine's fan and most of its turbine components. Thanks to the fan upgrade, the engine's maximum output is increased from 3,800- to 4,100-pounds-thrust under standard sea level conditions.

As a result, the aircraft's balanced field length (BFL) and altitude performance are improved as well.

Honeywell is developing the Dash 3- to-Dash 4 upgrade with General Electric subsidiary Garrett General Aviation Services, which will perform the retrofits at its Springfield, IL, hangar, as well as handle all marketing for the program, Alberto said.

Honeywell says 300 Hawker 125-600/700s are eligible for the upgrade. Other TFE upgrades include:

• Dash 2 to 2C configuration for Learjet 31 and 35 and Dassault Falcon10. (Some Dash 2 engines where built as early as 1972.)
• Dash 3A/B to 3C for Cessna Citation III and VI, IAI (now Gulfstream) Astra, and Learjet 55.
• Dash 3 to 3D for Falcon 50, Westwind, and Raytheon Hawker 400/600/700 models, Lockheed 731 JetStar retrofit, and also the Sabreliner 65.
• Dash 5A to 5B for Falcon 900 and 731 Falcon 20 retrofit.

Pointing out that Honeywell recently sold its 1,000th upgrade kit for the TFE731, Alberto said that the enhancements improve either performance or reliability, depending on the engine variant.

"We are continuing to invest in in-service engines and make available the very latest technology for our 1970s-era engines. Virtually all of our TFE731 engines are covered by upgrade programs," he said.

Another benefit is free enrollment in the Honeywell Maintenance Service Plan (MSP) for TFE731 operators not already receiving the coverage. "If you're already on MSP, you receive a large discount on the upgrade kit," Alberto said.

Upgrades are worth $600,000 in hardware; Honeywell discounts the typical upgrade to $180,000-$190,000 for non-MSP operators and to $80,000-$90,000 for members. MSP rate reductions of up to 33% can follow.