GE Aerospace has announced the successful completion of initial ground runs for the T901 engine on a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter at Sikorsky's West Palm Beach facility. This milestone marks a step forward in the Improved Turbine Engine Program's Black Hawk testing.
The ground runs validated the initial performance of all critical systems — including fuel, electrical, hydraulic, engine and flight control systems, and engine bay flow. Additionally, the tests acquired data from the comprehensive aircraft and engine instrumentation that will be used throughout the flight test program.
Factory testing continues in parallel with this integration effort. The data gathered during these tests continues to validate that the T901 engine is on track to meet the U.S. Army's rigorous performance requirements.
The T901 engine builds on GE Aerospace's history of powering Black Hawk and Apache helicopters with the combat-proven T700 engine, which has logged more than 100 million flight hours over the past four decades. Developed in response to the Army's call for increased power and reduced fuel consumption, the T901 delivers 50 percent more power, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced life cycle costs thanks to its simpler design and fewer parts. This efficiency translates to increased range, longer loiter time, and reduced maintenance and sustainment costs for the Army's enduring fleet.
