Honeywell's TFE731 turbofan engine is a long-standing "workhorse" in aviation, celebrating 50 years since its certification in 1972.
Uniquely designed for business aviation, it significantly boosted fuel economy and range while cutting noise pollution, addressing major hurdles for early business jets.
The engine quickly became a staple, powering definitive new aircraft like the Lear 35, Dassault Falcon 50, and Cessna Citation III, earning "Aviation Product of the Year" in 1975.
With 13,000 units produced and 9,400 still in service, logging 108 million flight hours, the TFE731 remains a critical engine in the midsize jet segment and continues to evolve.
Coming up with the right analogy to describe Honeywell’s (NASDAQ: HON) TFE731 engine can turn into a parlor game. You could say the widely used turbofan is the Lycoming O-320 of the jet world, or perhaps it is more akin to the -540 series.
If a vintage-car buff entered the conversation, the TFE731 would certainly be the Chevrolet small-block V-8 of aviation.
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Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4
