New Technology Drives Expansion of Pratt's Engine Family

The long-standing and multi-faceted contribution to business aviation made by engine maker Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) is set to reach another significant milestone with the anticipated service entry of Gulfstream’s new G500 and G600 jets, which are to be powered by its 16,000-pound-thrust class PurePower PW800 turbofans. The engines have now logged more than 13,000 test hours, including more than 6,000 on P&WC’s flying test bed and on Gulfstream flight test aircraft.

The 15,144-pound-thrust PW814GA engine that powers the G500 is set to enter service ahead of schedule at the end of 2017. The five test aircraft have now logged more than 2,600 flight hours.

Fundamentally similar in terms of architecture, the 15,680-pound-thrust PW815GA engine powers the G600, which made its first flight on December 17, 2016. The new turbofan achieved FAA certification on February 14, 2017, and is set to get EASA approval soon.

Meanwhile, P&WC has been busy preparing everything required for smooth service entry, according to PW800 marketing and customer service vice president Scott McElvaine. Initial technical publications are now ready, as are plans for starting maintenance training, parts distribution, product support capability across the OEM’s global network of service centers. Operators are already enrolling for ESP PurePower PW800 power-by-the-hour support plan.

According to P&WC, the PW800 will enter service with a dispatch reliability rate of 99.99 percent. McElvaine told AIN the OEM feels confident in this bold prediction based on the many test hours conducted and the fact that the new engines draw on the proven architecture of the existing PW300 family that power other business jets.

The engine maker is looking to further bolster the reliability of its products through the extension of its flight acquisition storage and transmission system to more platforms. After a year of trials, the company also is now ready to commercially offer its new oil analysis technology system, which gives early notice of potential maintenance and performance issues.

P&WC has promised that the PW800 family will deliver at least a 10 percent reduction in fuel burn (compared with existing engines in the same thrust class) and double-digit reductions in noise levels, even compared with the ICAO's 2010 CAEP 8 standards.

The chase for technology improvements continues for P&WC, with the PW306D1 turbofan that powers Cessna’s new Latitude aircraft drawing on upgraded performance developed for the PW307B’s on the rival Dassault Falcon 8X. Similarly, the PW308C+ engine tapped Talon combustor technology developed for the PW307A, the PW307D used performance improvement mixer technology from the PW306D and D1 turbofans, and the integrally bladed fan on the PW800 has its origins in the PW500 and PW600.

Turboprop Power

In P&WC’s extensive PT6 turboprop family, more capability is also on the way. According to Nick Kanellias, senior director for general aviation programs, the company will be ready to unveil a new 2,000-hp version by year-end and this will incorporate technology from its turbofan cousins, such as reverse flow architecture, as it aims to deliver greater performance and efficiency for operators.

EASA’s long-awaited approval of commercial single-engine IFR operations is expected to be a fresh stimulus for demand for turboprop-powered aircraft that can profitably perform missions that would not be viable with jets. To ensure that this can be achieved safely, Kanellias explained that P&WC is working to incorporate features such as an electronic control system for PT6 engines as soon as possible.

P&WC (Booth O105A) is marking the recent delivery of the group’s 100,000^th engine. This achievement will be celebrated with OEM partners and operators this week here at the EBACE show in Geneva.