Honeywell Receives FAA Award to Develop Sustainable Aircraft Technology

Honeywell has been selected to receive part of a $100 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant that is helping fund development of next-generation sustainable technologies to reduce aircraft fuel use, emissions and noise.

The September 10 award to six aviation industry leaders represents Phase III of the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program.

Honeywell along with other participating companies will match or exceed the FAA’s Phase III investment, bringing the total to at least $200 million in sustainable technology development over a five-year period. Since the launch of the CLEEN Program in 2010, industry partners have contributed $388 million of cost share, exceeding the FAA’s contribution of $225 million.

“We are delighted to continue to help lead and invest in this game-changing effort to shrink the environmental footprint of the aviation industry,” said Dave Marinick, President of Honeywell Engines & Power Systems. Honeywell also participated in the first two phases of the CLEEN Program.

The program is part of the FAA’s overall strategy to accelerate the development of new engines and engine technologies that will help U.S. aviation achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Honeywell Aerospace’s role for the latest program phase involves developing a more efficient engine fan, combustion system, compressor and turbine.

“Our work for the FAA’s CLEEN initiative complements Honeywell’s commitment to sustainable impacts and our pledge to be carbon neutral in our facilities and operations by 2035,” Marinick said. “Within our Aerospace business, ongoing production and development program investments include fuel-efficient gas turbine propulsion engines and auxiliary power units, electric power-generation and distribution systems, hydrogen fuel cells, electric propulsion systems and sustainable aviation fuels.”

Other industry partners chosen for the CLEEN Program Phase III include General Electric Aviation, Pratt and Whitney, Boeing, Rohr Inc. and a joint effort by Delta TechOps, GKN Aerospace, MDS Coating and America’s Phenix. FAA agreements also are being pursued with Rolls-Royce and Safran Nacelles.

Their efforts in the latest phase will target areas such as advanced engine propulsion and electric systems, ultra-quiet engine fans, alternative jet fuel evaluations, and erosion-resistant fan blade coatings. The goal is for significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and noise levels.

That includes improving fuel efficiency by at least 20% below the relevant International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard, NOx emissions by 70% relative to the ICAO standard, and particulate matter emissions below the ICAO standard. They also aim to cut noise by 25 decibels cumulative to the FAA Stage 5 standard.

It’s anticipated the CLEEN Phase III technologies could be introduced into commercial aircraft by 2031.