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Pratt andamp; Whitney is celebrating the 500th PT6 E-Series engine, which has flown over 200,000 hours since its entry into service. The company shared the milestone on Wednesday, the opening day of the 30th Aero Friedrichshafen.
The 500th PT6 E-Series engine rolled off of the production line at the PT6 Engine center of excellence in Lethbridge, Alberta. The engine family powers the Daher TBM 960 and Pilatus PC-12 NGX, flying over 200,000 hours since its entry into service in 2019.
"The fuel-efficient PT6 E-Series embodies our commitment to propelling innovation and enhancing our technology to deliver greater value to our customers and support their continued success," said Cedric Gauthier, Pratt andamp; Whitney Canada VP of sales and marketing general aviation. "Building on the reputation of the iconic PT6 engine family, which celebrated its 60th-anniversary last year, the PT6 E-Series has raised the bar on engine performance, efficient control systems, data intelligence and service solutions."
The PT6 E-Series is the first engine family in the general aviation turboprop sector with a dual-channel integrated electronic propeller and engine control system. The digital capabilities of the PT6 E-Series engine allows for single-power level engine control and lead to a more intuitive pilot experience and reduce the pilot workload. The PT6E-67XP powers the PC-12 NGX and the PT6E-66XT powers the TBM 960. The engine family has been the go-to powerplant for GA and helicopters for over 60 years and the modern PT6 engine is up to four times more powerful, with a 50 percent improved power-to-weight ratio and 20 percent better specific fuel consumption compared to the original engine.
The control system assists in optimizing power and efficiency throughout all phases of flight by constantly reviewing all engine parameters, along with other aircraft parameters. The system will make the necessary adjustments to the fuel flow and prop blade angle at all altitudes and temperatures. The PT6 E-Series will also improve fuel consumption and deliver performance gains across the entirery of the flight mission profile.
The PT6 engine family was introduced in 1963 and has been used to power over 155 aircraft models, flying more than 500 million hours in over 60 years. The engine architecture can power demanding high-cycle/high-power aircraft in both single- and twin-engine configurations. The PT6 series is the most versatile turboprop and helicopter engine family.