Banyan Teams with Texas Turbine on Caravan Conversion

Fort Lauderdale-based Banyan Air Service’s maintenance team has partnered with Texas Turbine Conversions of Celina, Texas. The pair plans to perform engine upgrades on the Cessna Caravan using a Texas Turbine Conversions-developed supplemental type certificate called the Supervan 900. The conversion removes the existing Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine and replaces it with a factory-fresh Honeywell TPE331-12JR. The STC also calls for replacing the propeller, all associated wiring and batteries, and a complete redesign of the cowlings and exhaust system. The end result is a power increase from the original 675 shp to 900 shp. According to a Banyan spokesman, additional benefits include reduced fuel burn and longer maintenance intervals, resulting in lower overall operating costs. While Banyan maintenance performs the engine modification, the Banyan avionics team upgrades the avionics suite. The existing Garmin stack and electromechanical instruments are replaced with a dual G600 panel, dual GTN 750s, GDL-69A unit and L3’s trilogy ESI-2000 for a complete glass makeover.