Pratt & Whitney Canada Delivers its 80,000th Engine to Beechcraft

Fifty years after delivering its very first engine to Beechcraft Corporation, P&WC has celebrated with Beechcraft another historic milestone during EAA AirVenture (EAA), in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with the delivery of its 80,000th engine, a PT6A-60A set to power the King Air 350i. P&WC is a United Technologies Corp. company (NYSE:UTX).

“As we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of this iconic engine that marked the history of aviation, we are proud today to share this important moment with Beechcraft Corporation, which was the first customer to select the PT6 engine. Beechcraft’s aircraft and our engines both enjoy a great reputation for durability and reliability,” said John Saabas, president, P&WC.

“Last year, Beechcraft celebrated the 7,000th delivery of its popular PT6A-powered King Air business turboprop, which has been in continuous production since 1964. Beechcraft and P&WC share a remarkable history together that has made the two companies leaders in their fields. For decades, our teams have worked side by side to provide products that perform flawlessly day after day, often in very challenging environments,” said Bill Boisture, chief executive officer, Beechcraft Corporation.

Since the delivery of its first PT6 engine to Beechcraft, a PT6A-6 to power the King Air 90, P&WC’s PT6 engine has become the most popular engine in all market segments of aviation. It can be found on aircraft that fly into the largest airports in the world and to places where most others cannot, or dare not go, such as the deepest jungles of South America, the most hostile desert climates of Africa, the highest mountains of Asia and the farthest reaches of Antarctica. Today, PT6 engines can be found on aircraft all over the world carrying out a wide range of vital missions, from relief work to scheduled passenger service, cargo transport to VIP travel, agricultural spraying to military pilot training, firefighting and search and rescue. From one corner of the earth to another, PT6-powered aircraft are making a difference, changing lives, allowing people to live their passions and creating stories.

“The simplicity of design, versatility and dependability of the PT6 engine have made it one of the most enduring engines in aviation history,” says Denis Parisien, P&WC’s vice president, General Aviation. “There are likely few technological concepts invented 50 years ago that remain as relevant today as the PT6 engine, nor any that continue to have such a promising future. This engine family is one of our great success stories and in a sense has made us what we are today. To mark this historic milestone, our team developed a video, available on PT6Nation or on YouTube, which shows what makes the PT6 engine a legend in the aviation industry today.”

With over 52,000 engines produced and 130 different applications on business and commuter aircraft, utility and trainer airplanes, helicopters and more, the PT6-engine fleet has accumulated an astounding 390 million hours of flight. “We have constantly taken advantage of major advancements in aerodynamics, materials, and other design methodologies to enhance the performance of the PT6 engine to meet our customers’ needs,” noted Denis Parisien. “Compared to the first 450 shaft horsepower PT6A model introduced in 1963, today the PT6 engine family is four times more powerful, with a 40% better power-to-weight ratio and up to a 20% lower specific fuel consumption. These advancements have enabled customers to produce aircraft with higher speed and payload, a longer range and better fuel efficiency.”