One is the geared turbofan (GTF), a new type of jet engine from Pratt & Whitney, part of America's United Technologies group.
Unlike a conventional turbofan, it uses a gearbox rather than a shaft between the fan and the turbine.
On the other side is a full-size model of China's new J-10, a plane unveiled with great fanfare in January as the most advanced fighter built by the Chinese themselves (except for the Ukrainian or Russian turbofan engines but officials prefer not to advertise this).
Called a "geared turbofan" engine, it uses a gearbox, rather than a shaft, to transmit power from the turbine (which spins as hot gases blast out of the back) to the fan (which sucks in air at the front).
Indeed, buyers of the A320neo will be able to choose the geared turbofan.
But from 2016, when the first revamped A320 is scheduled for delivery, its new geared turbofan engines, which it will make all by itself, will go head-to-head against CFM's LEAP.
This is a more conventional engine design, but uses sophisticated composite materials to achieve the same fuel-efficiency savings, of around 15%, that airlines are demanding.Pratt may eventually produce versions of its geared turbofan for wide-bodied jets, where profits are fatter.
Much of that advantage comes from a new engine, the geared turbofan, made by Pratt & Whitney, an American firm.So far, though, airlines have held back and waited to see how the CSeries flies.
But the geared turbofan and the open rotor are so different from each other that they will need different airframes.
But such is the reliability and power of modern high-bypass turbofan engines that it has ceased to be a worry.Airbus competes in the heavy-twin market with the slightly smaller A330 and, after several false starts, is developing the A350 XWB (extra-wide body) for entry into service in 2013.
