Honeywell is developing an advanced growth version of the LTS101 turboshaft. Designated the LTS101-950, it will maintain the same general shape and size as the  present LTS101 but will provide up to 23 percent more power for takeoff and a 35-percent increase in power for single-engine conditions, thanks to an improved compressor. “The LTS101-950 is built on a modular basis so that existing -750 and -850 engines may be upgraded,” said Bob Miller, program manager of Honeywell Engines, systems and services. “This is especially valuable for the U.S. Coast Guard’s HH-65 (AS 365N) Dolphin helicopter fleet, which would save more than $130 million over replacement engine approaches.” (One such “engine replacement approach” is the Turbomeca Arriel 2C2, which already powers the Eurocopter EC 155, the latest version of the AS 365N.) The derivative engine will incorporate all previous LTS101 engine upgrades and improvements, including a cooled gas producer turbine. These improvements will increase service life from 6,300 cycles to 15,000 cycles. The power improvements will permit increased operating weights and payloads and could reduce over-water operating limitations, according to Honeywell. Honeywell has also announced an improved airflow modulator for the LTS101 that is expected to deliver four times the reliability of existing units. Certification of the new part, which will be a drop-in replacement for existing units, is expected in mid-2004. It will then be available for immediate upgrades to engines already in service. According to Miller, the new fuel-driven airflow modulator for the LTS101, which regulates the flow of air through the engine, is based on Honeywell’s component record in turbofan engines. The design will incorporate hydraulic power to replace older pneumatic technology and is expected to have a mean time between removal of 2,500 hours, nearly four times that of existing controls. It will also be compatible with Fadec systems.