Pratt & Whitney Canada, a leader in the regional turboprop market for over 30 years, is setting its sights on further growth through the development of innovative engines, including a totally new centerline engine for the next generation regional turboprop (NGRT).
"We strongly believe in this market and continue to enhance our products by injecting new technologies to further bolster the competitiveness of the regional turboprop," says Richard Dussault, Vice President, Marketing, P&WC.
Two of the newest and enhanced members of the iconic PW100 turboprop engine family are the PW127N, designed specifically for a new fleet of ATR 72-600 aircraft, and the PW150C, being custom-developed for China's MA700 regional turboprop. Also under development is a new large turboprop engine, called the Next Generation Regional Turboprop (NGRT) targeting the future 90+ seat class regional turboprop aircraft. It's being designed to deliver more than 20% improvement in fuel burn over today’s fleet with the efficiency and flexibility of a fully integrated propulsion system.
"We have certified 38 PW100 family engines over the last three decades and are continuously looking to enhance our product and service offering to meet the needs of our customers and the market," says Dussault. "To date, more than 8,000 PW100/PW150 engines have been produced with over 160 million flying hours. It's a proud legacy that we intend to build on."
Certified last year, P&WC developed the PW127N engine to offer enhanced product performance in hot and high operating conditions, including a 4.5% thermal power increase for Maximum Take-Off ratings (MTO). Field conversions from the PW127M will be feasible with minor hardware modifications.
The PW150C was selected last year to power the MA700, a newly designed 78-86 seat regional turboprop being launched by AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Company of China. Leveraging the success of the PW150A engine, it will provide increased performance and power reserve through the addition of a third-stage power turbine, a modified reduction gearbox to support the aircraft’s larger diameter propellers, and an enhanced low-pressure compressor. Aircraft and engine certifications are expected for the end of 2018.
Meanwhile, P&WC has launched a detailed design of an all-new NGRT engine and is continuing Phase 2 of compressor testing as part of a technology demonstrator program. The NGRT will deliver in the range of 5,000 to 7,000 shp as well as economic and environmental benefits that will sustain the regional turboprop’s competitive advantage for airlines serving short-haul, high frequency routes.
Dussault says that P&WC is confident in the 90-passenger regional turboprop market and intends to be ready when an aircraft is launched. "We are completing the demo program and we will continue to look at technology insertions. We are in discussions with all of our aircraft OEM customers about the technology that we are developing for their next generation of aircraft. We will be ready when they are."
Come and see us at RAA, booth 213: Interested operators are invited to drop by P&WC’s booth to speak with a customer service representative.
