Future airliner

[Edward]

On the Channel 4 news today, Easyjet was showing a model of an airliner
they want to buy in the next 8 years. It showed 2 unducted turbofans as
the power units. Are there unducted turbofans flying at the moment,
even in experimental craft?

[Flying Rat]

Post by Edward
On the Channel 4 news today, Easyjet was showing a model of an airliner
they want to buy in the next 8 years. It showed 2 unducted turbofans as
the power units. Are there unducted turbofans flying at the moment,
even in experimental craft?

The closest thing to 'flying today' is actually an Antonov, the An-70
which has a hybrid of the unducted fan and contraprop.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1174794/L/

The engine manufacturers are all working on various iterations at the
moment, including Rolls Royce and a resurgent SNECMA (outside of its CFM
partnership). None are flying as yet. The closest to a flying prototype
is probably Pratt and Whitney who have their GTF (Geared Turbofan)
project which could be adapted to an unducted project.

FR