(See also EPI)

European Consortium that brings together Snecma (Safran), MTU, RR and ITP. (see all).

This consortium has been the winner of the competition for the European military A-400M transport-aircraft motorization.

-The presented engine has been the turboprop TP-400M. (version D-6). In the Snecma chapter, appears more information about this engine.

-It is said that the Europrop International has been the successor of the previous Aero Propulsion Alliance, which started designing the TP-400-D1 M88.

"Europrop logo"

-The TP-400 turboprop is triple shaft, delivering 11000 SHP at the output. It has Fierac Figeac FH-386 propellers, which, while rotating at only 840 rpm maximum, allow the aircraft to have a cruising speed of Mach 0.72.

"TP-400-D6"

-This engine is considered to be the most powerful turboprop in the West. In Russia the record of the NK-12 with 15000 CV is maintained.

From Appendix 6: At the end of 2008 it is planned to carry out in-flight tests with the TP-400-D6 engine that has to propel the European military transport aircraft A400M, built by the Airbus consortium.

"TP400-D6 on a test bench"

-Photography coming from and courtesy of R-R. The flight tests are made on a Hercules C-130, modified for that purpose.

-TP400-D6 is the largest turboprop built in the West, with 11000/12000 SHP at sea level.

-The engine weighs about 1,850 Kgs and measures 3.5 meters in length. It has three shafts.

-The diameter of the single multi-blade propeller is about 6 meters. (Excerpt from a report published in Itavia).

From Appendix 9: The A400M aircraft of the European consortium are already flying. This consortium includes Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey, UK, and lately Malaysia has joined.

“EPI, TP400-D6 engine”

-The -D1 design was done by Aero Propulsion Alliance, and this engine had the core of Snecma's M88-2. It evolved to the improved D-4, and finally EPI took it over to design the D-6.

"D-6 with frontal air intake"

"TP-400-D6 cutaway"

-With 11,000 SHP the engine rotates at 8,500 rpm the and the propeller at 850 rpm. It is a Twin-Spool with two shafts: the LP has a 5-stage compressor and a 1-stage turbine. The HP shaft has 8 stages in its compressor.

-However, there is a feature not observed by most people and that is the fact that the engine drives a unique eight-bladed propeller, 6 meters in diameter, when most powerful turboprops are driving two contra-rotating propellers (smaller ones).

"Reduction gear for the TP-400-D6 exhibited at the 2013 Paris Air Show"

-The gearbox has two stages: 1st a pair of bihelicoidal gears and 2nd an epicyclic system of a sun gear with 5 planetaries rotating inside a fixed crown.

"Group of lined up A400M aircraft"

-The two engines of each wing are counter-rotating to each other. Observe photo. It gives less adverse yaw in case of an engine stop. It maintains symmetry with less mechanical stress and smaller necessary size for the
drift. Less noise and vibrations in the cabin, etc.