Development Potential of Intermittent Combustion (I.C) Aircraft Engines for Commuter Transport Applications

This paper presents a brief update on general aviation (g/a) and commuter aircraft propulsion research efforts and studies which have been underway at NASA’s Lewis Research Center (LeRC) for several years. The review covers studies and limited corroborative research on several advanced I.C. engine concepts, emphasizing lightweight diesels and rotary stratified-charge engines.

Using available information, the current state-of-the-art is first evaluated for lightweight, aircraft-suitable versions of each engine. This information together with available study and experimental results is used to project the engine characteristics that can be expected on “near-term” and “long-term” time horizons. The key enabling technology requirements are identified for each engine on the “long-term” time horizon.