The NASA High-Speed Turboprop Program

NASA's Advanced Turboprop Project is a three phased effort initiated in 1978 to provide technology readiness for Mach 0.7 to 0.8 turboprop-powered aircraft with the potential for fuel savings and DOC reductions of up to 30 and 15 percent respectively relative to current in-service aircraft. This paper reviews the status of Phase I in the areas of propeller aeroacoustics, propeller structures, turboprop installed performance, aircraft cabin environment, and turboprop engine and aircraft studies. Current plans to establish large-scale propeller characteristics and to conduct high-speed propeller flight research tests using a modified testbed aircraft are also presented.