General Electric Company
ADVANCE RATIO FOR SINGLE UNDUCTED ROTOR ENGINE

Abstract:

A method is provided of operating a single unducted rotor engine, the single unducted rotor engine comprising a single stage of unducted rotor blades. The method includes operating the single unducted rotor engine to define a flight speed, V.sub.0, in a length unit per second and an angular speed, n, in revolutions per second, the single stage of unducted rotor blades defining a diameter, D, in the length unit; wherein operating the single unducted rotor engine comprises operating the single unducted rotor engine to define an advance ratio greater than 3.8 while operating the single unducted rotor engine at a net efficiency of at least 0.8, the advance ratio defined by the equation V.sub.0/(n.times.D).