FAA OKs QTA's Composite Inlet for Gulfstream G350/450

A carbon-fiber engine inlet replacement barrel from Quiet Technology Aerospace (QTA) has been STC’d for the Gulfstream G350 and G450, marking the eighth airframe to be FAA STC approved for its inlet corrosion solution. This STC offers the only terminating action currently available for aluminum engine inlet cowl inner barrel corrosion on the G350/450’s Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8C turbofans, the company said.

QTA’s solution replaces the aluminum inner barrel with a composite barrel that not only eliminates the root cause of the corrosion issue but also results in a weight savings of 30 pounds per inlet. It comes with a lifetime warranty that remains with the aircraft’s serial number and transfers to any future owner.

To minimize aircraft downtime, QTA offers a guaranteed fixed-price inlet exchange program that keeps aircraft in operation. For operators undergoing a major Inspection, QTA can also upgrade a complete set of inlet cowls for the customer’s aircraft in four weeks.

Other models currently STC’d for QTA’s carbon-fiber inner barrel replacement program are the Bombardier Learjet 60 and Challenger 300/350; Gulfstream G200 and G280; Hawker 1000; Dassault Falcon 2000LX/EX; and Embraer Legacy 450/500 and Praetor 500/600. The company has installed more than 250 inlet barrels on these aircraft models since it started the program in 2015.