GE's Catalyst Readies for Certification Testing

GE Aviation (Booth Z21) is preparing to begin certification testing for its newest turboprop engine, the Catalyst. According to the engine maker, the process should begin within weeks.

Since December, the powerplant has run for 60 hours, recently advancing from idle to full-power testing, generating critical data. The manufacturer said component certification is imminent and will be followed by whole-engine certification testing, starting with ingestion and altitude tests.

“The engine is running well, and the hardware looks great,” said Brad Mottier, president and general manager of GE’s business/general aviation unit and integrated systems organization. “Performance is at or above our expectations.” Assembly on the second engine is nearly complete, and it is expected to make its first run this summer.

The Catalyst has been tapped to power Cessna’s new Denali turboprop single. By the time the aircraft enters service in 2020, the engine is expected to have completed 2,000 hours of testing, according to GE Aviation.