New generation aircraft engines, including the PD-8, are generally considered more complex, but in practice, the situation may be the opposite. Modern power plants have become more technologically advanced not only in operation but also in production, aviation expert Roman Gusarov told "Pervy Tekhnichesky".
According to him, one of the reasons for the reduced engine development time is not the simplification of requirements, but the transition to new technologies and digital control systems.
It is actually simpler to produce. Significantly simpler than previous generation engines. About as much as a modern LCD TV is simpler than an old tube TV.
Gusarov noted that modern electronic systems have replaced complex hydromechanical units, which previously required labor-intensive adjustment and maintenance. Thanks to this, not only production but also the process of developing new engines has been simplified.
What used to take six months can now be done in a maximum of a week. Just print the part on a 3D printer, process it, install it – and that's it.
Gusarov emphasized that it was the combination of the technological groundwork obtained during the creation of the PD-14, digital control systems, and 3D printing that allowed for a significant reduction in the PD-8 development time without abandoning modern engineering solutions.
Alexander Yavkin, chief designer of the Be-200 amphibian, warned that the speed of PD-8 development could lead to power plant failures.