The public debut of the ultra-long-range Bombardier Global 7000 at NBAA’s annual convention and exhibition also marks the premiere of the Nexcelle integrated propulsion system (IPS), which includes the nacelle and thrust reverser unit. Nexcelle (Booths C11820, N1715), a joint venture between GE Aviation’s Middle River Aircraft Systems division and Safran’s engine nacelle unit, mirrors the partnership the two companies have enjoyed with their CFM International engine business for more than four decades, according to Kenneth Onderko, president of the joint venture. Founded in 2008, Nexcelle uses the same design tools, operating practices and business processes as its CFM sibling. In addition to its work on the Global 7000, Nexcelle developed the nacelle and thrust reverser for the CFM Leap-1C engine on the narrowbody Comac C919, which recently began flight testing.

With Bombardier’s new flagship taking the spotlight in the static display, visitors can see its IPS, which was the first in the business jet industry to be constructed in tandem with the engine, allowing engineers to optimize their designs. “Aircraft manufacturers are trying to squeak out the last ounce of performance, so this was one avenue that I don’t think was fully explored,” Onderko told AIN, adding that in the past, nacelle designers typically received only the final engine design and were expected to work around it. “Instead of the engine team just throwing it over the wall and saying 'Here you go,' they’re working side-by-side trying to integrate and minimize the overall weight of the propulsion system as well as optimize its performance.”

With 500 flight cycles thus far in the Global 7000 test program, it appears they achieved just that, meeting Bombardier’s stringent design specifications, which also required an unprecedented level of aerodynamic streamlining. Among the features are a one-piece aluminum lip skin around the intake, and a 360-degree single-piece composite inner barrel, all aimed at eliminating seams. “You look at forward and aft steps [between panels] as well as the gaps between the components, and those all affect overall aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft,” explained Onderko. “It took a lot of effort in integration between our engineering teams and the engine’s as well as the manufacturing capability to be able to get down to the tolerances for the requirements [Bombardier] directed at us.” Another benefit of the collaboration is ensuring ease of maintenance access for the engine.

Nexcelle also developed the thrust reverser for the Global 7000 and 8000’s GE Passport 20, the engine maker’s first foray into the business aviation powerplant market, with an eye toward performance and weight parameters. The company gave it a target-type thrust reverser, “a highly efficient means of providing reverse thrust at a very minimum weight,” noted Onderko. “It has a fixed nozzle, which maximizes engine performance for this application.”

With Bombardier’s production line already starting up in preparation for the Global 7000’s certification, Nexcelle expects a steep ramp-up starting in the fourth quarter and extending into 2018 and beyond. “We view it as a healthy program going forward,” said Onderko.