PW-Allison 578-DX Propfan

The 578-DX was a 20,000 lb thrust, gearbox driven, counter rotating propfan technology demonstrator built by Allison, Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Standard, and Rohr Industries in the 1980’s. It flew successfully on the port pylon of an MD-80 aircraft from April 13, 1989 to May 20, 1989. The NASA Lewis Research Center and the NASA/Industry Advanced Turboprop Team, which included Pratt & Whitney - Allison, won the Collier Trophy in 1987 for “The development of advanced turboprop propulsion concepts for single r