Story ID: 320
Cessna Denali First Flight Delayed To 2020
By: Jerry Siebenmark
Caption: Textron Aviation officials won't specify when the single-engine turboprop Denali will make its first flight next year.
Word Count: 723
With five development engines assembled and more than 1,600 hours of combined operation between engine test hours, GE Aviation’s new Catalyst turboprop engine is progressing toward a flying testbed on the launch application, the Textron Aviation Denali. However, the engine maker won’t deliver the first Denali flight-test engine to Textron Aviation until sometime in 2020, GE officials confirmed on the eve of NBAA-BACE. Both Textron Aviation and GE Aviation had anticipated first flight of the Denali later this year.

“Given the delay in the engine delivery, we are not putting a timeline on first flight of the Denali,” the Wichita airframer said. “Textron Aviation is pleased with the performance of the engine, and Catalyst development testing has met or exceeded the program requirements. Engine design and performance has been proven through extensive component and development testing.”

Catalyst testing milestones include more than 1,000 engine cycles with hot starts and cold starts in temperatures between -65 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. It also reached FL410 in an altitude chamber, and the first engine certification test—PT loss of load—was completed earlier this month. Two component certification tests have also been completed: GGT overspeed and HPC overspeed.

A combination of newer turboprop testing standards and engine preparations required for its flying testbed are driving a delay in the initial delivery of GE Aviation's new Catalyst turboprop to Textron Aviation for the Cessna Denali, said Brad Mottier, v-p and general manager of business, general aviation, and integrated systems for GE Aviation. 

The primary holdup has been eight test certification requirements for turboprop engines put in place by the FAA over the past 10 years. Among those more stringent requirements are ones that center around engine icing, added GE Aviation general manager of turboprops Paul Corkery.

“Some of the test facilities, not just ours but external [ones], took a lot longer to get through the test cycles than what we anticipated,” Mottier added.

A King Air 350 that will serve as the Catalyst flying testbed is being outfitted for the engine, although that has brought its own set of challenges, including a new structure to affix it to the airplane’s wing. “And this new engine produces more power than the PT6 that is on the other side,” Mottier explained. “That’s taking longer than we anticipated.”

Once the Catalyst has been fitted to the King Air, trialing with the flying testbed will begin in Europe. “We are assembling the engine and anticipate delivering the engine later this year for flight testing,” he said. Catalyst will eventually have European Union Aviation Safety Agency and FAA certifications.
Prototype Progress Continues
The Denali iron bird ground-test article continues to test Fadec and engine connectivity, avionics functionality, and aircraft handling characteristics. GE said the iron bird has completed 300 hours of testing.

In terms of the Denali’s airframe, Textron said it is nearing wingmate of the prototype aircraft. All told, the company has three flight test and three ground test articles, the latter of which will be used for airframe static and fatigue tests, as well as cabin interior development and testing. 

Along with the Catalyst engine, the Denali will be equipped with Garmin G3000 touchscreen avionics, including three, 14-inch diagonal, wide-screen LCDs, synthetic vision, ADS-B In/Out and weather avoidance radar.

With an expected range of 1,600 nm, a maximum cruise speed of 285 knots, and a full fuel payload of 1,100 pounds, the airplane is configurable for both passenger and cargo missions with its flat floor. 

It includes a 53-by-59-inch rear cargo door, as well as executive features such as a digital pressurization system that maintains a 6,130-foot cabin to 31,000 feet and an optional externally serviceable belted lavatory with pocket door. Large passenger windows, interior LED lighting, and options for a refreshment cabinet and an in-flight-accessible baggage compartment round out the Denali’s features.

Denali offers six individual reclining seats, club-configuration tables, and a refreshment unit in executive configuration, and nine forward-facing seats in a high-density commuter configuration.

“It’s an airplane that we think can have a big impact on the marketplace and we continue to move forward with that,” Textron senior v-p of sales and marketing Rob Scholl told AIN.
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