P&WC Begins Compressor Demo for Next Generation Regional Turboprop Engine

May 21, 2012
The high-efficiency compressor is a core element of the new engine and the test hardware has already run to the full range of aerodynamic design points.

RAA - MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA (May 21, 2012) – Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has begun testing of the compressor for the next generation regional turboprop engine, a key step in the company’s technology demonstrator program. The high-efficiency compressor is a core element of the new engine and the test hardware has already run to the full range of aerodynamic design points. Key engine characteristics such as component efficiency and pressure ratio will be validated by the demonstration program, bringing the best technology forward. Pratt & Whitney Canada is a United Technologies Corp. company (NYSE:UTX).

“The next generation turboprop engine is a totally new centerline engine that will deliver a 20 per cent improvement in fuel burn over today’s fleet using the latest technologies of our next generation product families,” said Richard Dussault, Vice-President, Marketing, P&WC. “Our new engine will deliver the economic and environmental benefits that will sustain the regional turboprop’s competitive advantage for airlines serving short-haul, high-frequency routes.”

P&WC’s PW100 family of engines has led the regional turboprop segment since entering service more than 25 years ago. The company has more than 200 million hours of flying experience in the regional turboprop segment.

P&WC’s new offering will be a fully integrated propulsion system including engine, nacelle, propellers and engine systems, bringing the most advanced systems integration technologies to this product.

“We continue our strategy of leveraging the entire spectrum of research and development capability to bring the best technology to our engines,” said Dussault. “We are investing in this next-generation technology demonstrator to offer real engine performance data to potential OEM customers.”

Customer Service
P&WC has built the largest, most comprehensive customer service network in the industry around its 10,000 customers who operate in 200 countries. Through its Customer First Centres in Montreal and Singapore, P&WC is always just a call or click away, providing unparalleled technical support. The P&WC network has 30 owned or designated repair and overhaul facilities, nine parts distribution centres, 100 Field Support Representatives, mobile repair teams, 800 rental/exchange engines and 12 customer training facilities operated through FlightSafety International. P&WC offers comprehensive pay-by-the-hour maintenance programs for fleet operators and business aviation customers, with more than 7,000 engines currently enrolled. P&WC also offers repair and overhaul of components and accessories and the sale of new, exchange and used serviceable parts. Advanced diagnostics are also offered, moving operators towards a planned operating environment. P&WC is a one-stop shop for all elements of an operator’s needs.

About Pratt & Whitney Canada

Founded in 1928, and a global leader in aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) is shaping the future of aviation with dependable, high-technology engines. Every second, a P&WC-powered aircraft takes off or lands somewhere in the world. P&WC's engines, with close to 600 million hours in the air, are the industry benchmark for innovative design, dispatch reliability, operating economics and easy maintenance. P&WC is firmly committed to ensuring that its products are designed, produced and operated while minimizing environmental impacts throughout their life cycle.

There are currently more than 49,000 engines in service on more than 28,000 aircraft operated by some 10,000 operators in 200 countries. The most extensive support network in the industry, which includes more than 30 company-owned and designated service facilities, supports this global fleet.

Based in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, P&WC is a United Technologies Corp. company (NYSE:UTX). UTC is a diversified company providing high-technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.