As the new President of Nexcelle, I am fully committed to continuing the excellent work of Steve Walters, his management team and the two parent companies, which together have made this joint venture a true player in developing a new generation of integrated propulsion systems (IPS).

I am very excited about the opportunity to lead Nexcelle into the next phase, which includes a focus on testing, the manufacturing of development and production hardware, and validation of the IPS concepts.

Having participated in Nexcelle’s most recent quarterly Program Review Meeting (PRM), I was impressed by the spirit of teamwork that has been forged by all of those involved at Aircelle and Middle River Aircraft Systems – with the focus on leveraging the strengths from these two parent companies in delivering on our promises to the customers.

During the first quarter of 2012, I will put my emphasis on spending time with the Nexcelle teams, our parent companies, along with the key partners, stakeholders and customers, including a trip to China this month for meetings on the C919 program.

I will work diligently to maintain the momentum that Steve Walters has achieved in bringing Nexcelle to where it is today, and I will continue to provide my inputs on this blog – which will be supplemented by postings from other members of the Nexcelle team.

Huntley Myrie

When Nexcelle was created in 2008, its forward-looking parent companies had a vision: unite the nacelle, thrust reverser and aerostructures capabilities of GE Aviation’s Middle River Aircraft Systems and the Safran group’s Aircelle to develop a new generation of integrated propulsion systems (IPS) with its parent engine companies.

Since then, Nexcelle’s evolution has been truly remarkable, as the market clearly recognized the value proposition of this integrated system approach.  Our joint venture scored back-to-back major program wins, and stood up its operations for the successful development and implementation of our committed technologies.

I have had the pleasure of leading Nexcelle since 2009, and the time has come to hand off these responsibilities to its new president, Huntley Myrie, as I become the Product Leader for all of GE Aviation’s nacelle and aerostructures activities.

In reflecting on Nexcelle’s achievements, three keywords come to mind: culture, collaboration and flexibility.

Nexcelle takes best practices from CFM International, which was created by Safran and GE Aviation 37 years ago, and is applying the same culture of working together that has made CFM International the industry reference for successful joint venture operations.  This culture is evident across Nexcelle’s daily operations, with teams from Middle River Aircraft Systems and Aircelle having forged the excellent relationships that are allowing our company to effectively evolve the technology and deliver on its program commitments.

We also have demonstrated on a daily basis our commitment to what I’ve been calling Nexcelle’s “flexible and collaborative perimeter” approach in our relationships with the airframe manufacturers.  This reflects Nexcelle’s willingness to share responsibilities appropriately with our airframe partners, establishing mutually-agreed upon lines of ownership according to their wishes in such areas as the integrated propulsion system’s pylon, engine inlet or exhaust nozzle.  Such an approach brings multiple benefits, including the reduction of development risks, while ensuring that the expertise of each of the partners is utilized to achieve the best possible product for the market.

In completing my last blog posting for Nexcelle, I want to acknowledge the dedication, commitment to excellence, and hard work of everyone at Middle River Aircraft Systems and Aircelle who have contributed to our company’s success, and to thank the customers for their confidence in us.

Nexcelle is in very good hands with Huntley Myrie, who will continue the blogging tradition on these pages.

The National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) annual meeting is one of the industry events I look forward to on my yearly travel calendar.  In addition to spending time with aircraft operators, manufacturers and suppliers, this gathering offers highly valuable classroom sessions on a broad range of topics for the business aircraft sector.

In attending NBAA 2011 with Mike Long, Nexcelle’s Customer Support Director, we’ve come to understand how important lifecycle management and service coverage is for business jet operators.  It is clear that their needs and requirements involve a wide scope of all processes involved in operating an aircraft, including just about everything from financing and arranging insurance coverage to handling the claim process for maintenance.

This opens up much broader opportunities for supplier services than typically applied to the airline industry, and is fully aligned with Nexcelle’s approach to integrated propulsion systems in the broadest sense – which includes more integration in the customer support and product support offerings as well.

For our role on the GE Passport 20 business jet engine, Mike already has been coordinating his teams at Nexcelle parent companies Aircelle and Middle River Aircraft Systems, along with GE Aviation as the powerplant manufacturer, to ensure our services package for the Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 fully responds to the expectations of their future throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle.

• See the video interview with Mike Long at this week’s NBAA’s annual meeting in Las Vegas for his perspective on Nexcelle’s customer support advantages in the business aviation sector.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual meeting in Las Vegas has been a busy place since the show’s opening this morning, with many of the sector’s key players stopping by GE Aviation’s exhibit stand – where Nexcelle has its first official participation at this important industry event.

Our presence at NBAA is allowing Nexcelle to highlight some of the technologies that will be applied in the nacelle and thrust reverser we are developing for the GE Passport 20 engine, which is to power the Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 business jets.

This new integrated propulsion system includes such features as the Directed Flow Nozzle deicing system – which requires less mass flow and brings significant weight savings, along with a laminar flow inlet to improve aerodynamics and reduce weight.

Another key technology being applied to the Passport 20 is the thrust reverser’s moveable kicker plate – which smoothes the airflow during forward flight, improving specific fuel consumption while maintaining excellent reverse thrust performance.

Another area of focus is the application of composite materials, with the content increasing to some 75 percent in the nacelle.  In addition to conventional graphite epoxy, we are now working to introduce new materials that could include new high temperature-resistant composites.

Nexcelle is on track with our technology roadmaps as we move ahead with GE Aviation in developing the Passport 20 integrated propulsion system for the business aviation market.

• My video clip from the NBAA exhibit floor highlights Nexcelle’s presence at the show.

Next week’s National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual meeting in Las Vegas provides an excellent opportunity for Nexcelle to update the industry on its role in the GE Passport 20’s integrated propulsion system, which is to power the Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 business jets.

With Nexcelle as the nacelle and thrust reverser supplier, the Passport 20’s development takes full advantage of benefits from the common technology development processes, program processes and operating practices utilized by Nexcelle and GE.

In practical terms, the aerodynamic design of the engine and the nacelle’s inner flow lines are done from one operation within GE Aviation, facilitating tradeoffs and optimization – as the same team “owns” performance on both sides.  This has helped drive technologies that are being developed in the Passport 20’s nacelle and thrust reverser, including optimizing flow paths, removing steps and gaps, and expanding the application of composites.

It also extends to the single supply chain shared by our co-parent company, Middle River Aircraft Systems, which is part of GE Aviation.  Material planning, sourcing and quality are all shared on both the engine and nacelle sides.

I will be leading the Nexcelle team attending NBAA, and look forward to meeting my industry colleagues – as well as future operators of the Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 – on the GE Aviation exhibit stand, Booth #N1833.

Among the advantages Nexcelle brings for its development and production of integrated propulsion systems are resources of our parent companies – Aircelle and Middle River Aircraft Systems.

Their global network of facilities was further expanded with this month’s opening of a new facility in Xi’an, China, created through the SAVI joint venture of Aircelle and the Chinese AVIC Group’s XAIC (Xi’an Aircraft International Corporation) subsidiary.

The new SAVI installation has a direct relationship to Nexcelle’s supplier role for the nacelle and thrust reverser on the Chinese C919 jetliner’s integrated propulsion system, as this facility will provide the final assembly of many of the major nacelle and thrust reverser systems on the C919.

Initially, SAVI will be involved in certain major legacy programs for Aircelle and Middle River Aircraft Systems. Production of subsystems for these programs will help establish procedures and methods in advance of C919 nacelle work being assigned to the Xi’an facility.

The current SAVI installation at Xi’an covers more than 7,000 sq. meters on three floors, with workshops and production areas representing over 5,000 sq. meters of the total area. And this is simply the first step, as expansion plans include facilities that more than double this space.

SAVI reflects the importance that Aircelle, Middle River Aircraft Systems and their parent organizations – Safran and GE Aviation – place in building relationships in the Chinese market.

I was pleased to attend the SAVI grand opening event at Xi’an. I also had the opportunity to meet with many of the members of the SAVI leadership team who already are on location to develop the facility’s operations. Having known SAVI General Manager Gerard Lavigne through a prior business relationship, I have great confidence this will be a world-class operation.

I look forward to seeing the first production assemblies being delivered from SAVI in Xi’an!

Aviation Expo/China 2011 provided an excellent opportunity to “feel the pulse” of this  country’s aviation sector, and enabled Nexcelle to bring its functional integrated propulsion system (IPS) scale model to China for the first time – highlighting some of the IPS concepts planned for COMAC’s C919 jetliner.

There was a high level of energy at the China National Convention Center as today’s executives, managers and engineers were joined by students and young people who represent the Chinese aviation industry’s next generation of decision-makers.

Our IPS scale model literally was scrutinized inch-by-inch as the crowd made detailed inspections, while many attendees took close-up photos – giving it a “starring” role at the show.

There clearly was much energy among the young audience as they asked questions about the IPS’ advantages and wanted to better understand the importance of propulsion system decisions for their country’s newest airliner.

As a member of the Nexcelle team, I look forward to the C919 becoming a reality, allowing generations of Chinese travelers to benefit from the integration propulsion system that we and CFM International are readying today.

When asked what distinguishes our approach to truly integrated propulsion systems, I usually begin by explaining how Nexcelle benefits from the common operating practices shared with our partner companies – Middle River Aircraft Systems and Aircelle – which have been demonstrated and validated in the business activities of their corporate parents, GE and Safran.

An excellent example is shown in our ongoing relationship with CFM International, the highly-successful 37-year-old joint venture of GE and Safran that has become the reference in successful aviation industry collaboration – on which Nexcelle’s own operations are patterned.

We see daily benefits from these shared practices in our role as the nacelle developer for CFM International’s LEAP-X1C integrated propulsion system on the COMAC C919 jetliner, for which Nexcelle continues to successfully execute its technology roadmap.

This was evident at the most recent CFM International-Nexcelle quarterly session – called the Program Review Meeting (PRM) – which is part of the regular gatherings bringing together our senior leadership for a constant, open, flow of information. The latest CFM International-Nexcelle PRM was held at Snecma’s propulsion center in Villaroche, France, and covered topics ranging from engine and aircraft test plans to certification scheduling – all of which roll into the LEAP-X1C’s master integrated plan.

Such PRMs also allow us to focus on design evolution and tradeoffs, with everyone literally speaking the same language and working as one integrated team, thereby eliminating the barriers often found in a traditional prime contractor-supplier relationship.

Information discussed at these Nexcelle-CFM International PRMs builds on Nexcelle’s own quarterly Program Review Meetings, which are attended by key Aircelle and Middle River Aircraft Systems personnel from management, engineering, production, customer support, contracting and marketing.

The overall flow goes all the way up to the customer level in CFM International’s regular PRMs with COMAC – in which Nexcelle also participates – effectively closing the loop on one example of the effective operating rhythm framed by common operating practices applied across the LEAP-1X program.

The 2011 Paris Air Show marked another milestone in our company’s fast-paced history, as it was the signing venue for the purchase agreement of Nexcelle’s nacelle system on the GE Aviation GE Passport 20 jet engine.

For this important accord, I put “pen to paper” with Brad Mottier, the Vice President and General Manager of GE Aviation’s Business and General Aviation Operation.

We were in good company, as Brad and I were joined by members of our parent companies’ extended family: Vincent Mascré, Aircelle Chairman and CEO; Nate Manning, the President of GE Aviation Mechanical Systems; Chuck Nugent, General Manager of GE Small Commercial Engines; and Jacques Chausse, Commercial General Manager of GE Aviation’s Business and General Aviation Operation.

From Nexcelle’s creation in 2008, we have demonstrated the value of bringing together the full resources of our two parents: GE’s Middle River Aircraft Systems and the Safran group’s Aircelle.  Their capabilities enabled us to win the nacelle system for CFM International’s LEAP-X1C on the COMAC C919 airliner in 2009, followed by our selection in 2010 for the GE Passport 20 – which will power Bombardier’s Global 7000 and 8000 business jets.

Nexcelle is well on track in developing the technology roadmap for both engines, and we remain committed to ensuring the GE Passport 20 and LEAP-X1C provide their future operators with all the benefits that come from the integrated propulsion system concept.

• Review my video clip from GE Aviation’s exhibit stand at the Paris Air Show, where the GE Passport 20 engine was depicted in an artist’s concept.

• Read the press release for more information on the purchase agreement signing ceremony for Nexcelle’s supply of the GE Passport 20 nacelle system.

It’s not often that an exhibitor at the Paris Air Show – the world’s largest aerospace industry gathering – can claim to be able to stop the crowds in their tracks.  With our debut of Nexcelle’s integrated propulsion system functional scale model at Le Bourget this week, that’s exactly what we have been doing!

Nexcelle built this model to better illustrate many of the IPS technologies and concepts we are developing, including how the integrated O-duct translates aft for the thrust reverse cycle, and also moves further aft into a maintenance position. Our model helps demonstrate some of this concept’s aerodynamic and weight advantages, as well as its value for maintenance.

In addition, the model illustrates the IPS’ innovative mounting concepts.  From the unique fan cowl mounting structure…to the optimized forward and aft engine mounts…and finally, the thrust reverser attachments to the pylon – the nacelle and engine mount systems result in improved system performance and reduced fuel burn.

Using the scale IPS model, we’ve been able to demonstrate these important features to the industry.

So for Nexelle’s first-ever appearance at an air show as an exhibitor, it’s been a great week for all of the team.

• My video clip from the Le Bourget exhibit hall provides a first-hand look at our IPS functional scale model in action.