The Nexcelle joint venture’s first engine nacelle product is now in service!
February 11, 2019

Middle River Aircraft Systems is program leader for the Nexcelle joint venture’s nacelle system on the Bombardier’s Global 7500 business jet, which has now entered service.
Bombardier delivered its initial Global 7500 in December, following a flight test program that was supported by Nexcelle and its parent companies. Certification of the twin-engine aircraft by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was announced by Bombardier earlier this month, which followed approval by airworthiness authorities of the U.S. (Federal Aviation Administration) in November 2018, and Canada (Transport Canada) in September 2018.
Under the Nexcelle joint venture work sharing arrangement, MRAS is the program leader and supplies the nacelle system’s inlet, fan cowls and apron adapter for the Global 7500’s side-fuselage mounted GE Aviation Passport powerplants. Safran Nacelles produces the target-type thrust reverser.
A pioneering IPS for business aviation
Nexcelle’s nacelle is a key element of the Global 7500, contributing to the performance of this aircraft – which is the industry’s largest and longest-range business jet. In addition to its non-stop flight capabilities, the Global 7500 has exceeded takeoff and landing performance commitments – which is due in part to the integrated propulsion system (IPS), consisting of Nexcelle’s nacelle and the Passport turbofan engine.

A fan cowl door for the Global 7500 business jet’s integrated propulsion system is inspected prior to shipment from MRAS’ production facility.
The close working relationship between Nexcelle as nacelle provider and GE Aviation as Passport’s manufacturer resulted in a highly-efficient and effective integrated propulsion system – the first true IPS for business aviation.
One key feature of the Nexcelle nacelle system are its simplified upper and lower fan cowl doors. With a length of 103 inches, the doors facilitate access to the Passport engine for inspection and maintenance, and the use of composite materials in their production results in reduced system weight.
Other nacelle features are its one-piece extended aluminum inlet lip-outer barrel for reduced aerodynamic drag; and a 360-degree, single-piece extended composite inner barrel incorporating advanced acoustic protection for lower engine noise levels. The nacelle also has an innovative anti-ice system that uses a directed flow nozzle concept.