Since Citation Excel deliveries began in 1998, Textron Aviation (née Cessna Aircraft) has delivered more than 1,100 units, making it the firm’s most successful jet in its 96-year history. Based on the XLS series, the newest iteration of the model, the Ascend, offers a number of features designed to extend the winning streak, including the more fuel efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D turbofans, an upgrade from the Collins Pro Line 21 to Garmin G5000 avionics with standard auto-throttles, increased payload, and more range. Scheduled maintenance interval shave been stretched to 800 flight hours or 18 months, whichever comes first.

The Ascend has new and larger flight deck and cabin windows, upgraded passenger seats, and improved acoustical insulation to soak up sound. The 8-inch dropped aisle has been filled in to create a flat floor. However, the dropped aisle remains an option for customers needing more center cabin headroom.

The Honeywell RE100 now is approved for unattended operation, freeing both flight crewmembers to focus on essential preflight chores. A host of other upgrades endows the Ascend with levels of comfort, quiet, convenience, and connectivity on par with Textron Aviation’s larger super-midsize aircraft. First deliveries are set to begin in 2025.

—With reporting by Fred George

Dassault Falcon 10X

The growth of the Dassault Aviation infrastructure at the Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (LFBD) in western France can be attributed to the success of the Rafale fighter series, and the Falcon 7X and 8X, as well as the recent introduction of the 6X—and its upcoming big brother, the 10X. Dassault began parts assembly in 2022 to pre-pare for the final assembly of the first test articles underway this year. The all-composite wing is being built at a dedicated facility in Biarritz.

The 10X, announced in 2021, has had a long slow buildup, fitting for a jet that will be the largest built by Dassault and introduce the largest cabin of any jet purpose-built for the business aviation sector. That cabin features a new design path for the company, breaking out of the traditional mold with bold colorways and seating that looks more like that of a penthouse living room than an aluminum tube. It has already received several nods in international design competitions, including the Red Dot award from the Design Society of the U.K.

With a range of 7,500 nm at Mach 0.85—and a top speed of Mach 0.925—the 10X is powered by a pair of bespoke Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X powerplants rated at 18,000 pounds of thrust apiece and able to run on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). On the flight deck, the 10X gives pilots the FalconEye combined vision system, as well as carrying over the digital flight control system (DFCS) made popular on the 7X. As the Dassault pilots finish up flight tests on the 6X and move to the first 10X test platform later this year, perhaps, we’re certainly eyeing them with envy.

Dassault Falcon 6X

Long before pilots will get their hands on the DFCS sticks of the 10X, however, Dassault’s Falcon 6X will entice them to the flight deck. Now type certified under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the FAA, the 6X leads the next generation of Falcons with its dual Pratt& Whitney PW812D engines. Rated at up to 14,000 pounds thrust, the powerplants propel the wide-body, long-range 6X to a range of up to 5,500 nm at Mach 0.80 and a max cruise speed of Mach 0.925.

The 6X preserves the relative short-field performance of its predecessors, with the capability to operate out of 3,000-foot runways with a partial fuel load.

The balanced field length for takeoff is 5,480 feet under ISA conditions at sea level and at the maximum takeoff weight of 77,460 pounds.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Dassault Falcon 6X

The 6X showed off its graceful, powerful ability to maneuver at the Paris Air Show in late June at the hands of pilots Philippe Duchateau and Fabrice Valette. Visitors to the display could sit on the flight deck and witness the four large-format displays, two tablets mounted on either pilot side, and roundly shaped pedestals from which to stabilize while entering data into the flight management system. It’s a well-thought-out cockpit design, with pilot-friendly touches in and around the instrument panel, such as EFB mounts. We watched passersby stroll in front of the nose through the head-up display with the FalconEye cutting through the gray and bringing everything ahead of the airplane into sharp focus.

Gulfstream G700

The race to certify the next long-range mount looked neck-in-neck between the Falcon 6X and the Gulfstream G700. With its paperwork filed and everything over but the shouting, the bird from Savannah, Georgia, first announced in 2019 is expected to begin deliveries in the first quarter of 2024.

The G700, which takes its strength from the Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 powerplants, can carry up to 19 passengers—and sleep up to 13—in as many as five flexible living spaces. The 7,500 nm range (at Mach 0.85) puts it squarely in the ultralong category, routinely cruising at 45,000 to 49,000 feet. In the conclusion of the flight test program, the G700 continued to set city-pair speed records. It flew into the European Business Aviation Conference and Expo (EBACE) and Paris on up to 30 percent SAF and marked a memorable flight from Savannah to Tokyo on SAF at an average speed of Mach 0.89.

And what’s in it for the pilot? A familiar Symmetry Flight Deck up front, paired with Gulfstream’s Enhanced Flight System, that you’d find on theG500 and G600, making the G700 a straightforward transition for aviators stepping up.

Gulfstream G800

The higher model number ascribed to the Gulfstream G800—sister ship to the G700—refers to the increase in range customers can expect when the platform debuts in a couple of years. Yes, topping the charts at 8,000 nm, the G800 achieves this on the same wing as the G700 by shortening the length of the fuselage and reducing the number of living areas to four.

The G800, currently in the heart of its flight test program, achieves the target distance powered by the same Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 powerplants, at 18,250 pounds of thrust each, at Mach 0.85. If you want to go faster—and sacrifice 1,000 nm of range—push it up to Mach 0.90. Or just get there fast by taking a shorter segment at Mach 0.925.

Gulfstream’s flight test crew flew the first test article with a finished interior—used for proving those components in worldwide environments and operating conditions—to the Paris Air Show.

A second test aircraft first flew on July 15 on a blend of 30 percent SAF and reached a top speed of Mach 0.935 during the mission.

Sitting up front, the familiar Symmetry Flight Deck offers pilots a total of 10 display screens up front—four large-format ones across the front left to right, and six smaller touchscreen displays that can be configured in nearly endless ways depending on the phase of flight, pilot preference, or during abnormal and emergency operations.

The predictive landing performance system works in the background to help prevent runway overruns—though the G800 is projected to mark a6,000 takeoff distance at its max gross weight of 105,600 pounds.

Gulfstream G400

Close kin to the G500 and G600, Gulfstream’s next answer to the large-cabin midsize question, the G400, takes its lineage from its bigger siblings. The OEM stretched the fuselage to 36 feet, 4 inches and leveraged Symmetry Flight Deck technology from the larger models to create an advanced jet boasting a best-in-class cabin cross section with up to 2.5 living areas, with 100 percent fresh air that is refreshed every two minutes.

Those fortunate passengers (up to 12, sleeping as many as five) will enjoy the G400’s projected 4,200 nm range at Mach 0.85 settings—that’s Geneva to Minneapolis—and a top speed of Mach 0.90 and a maximum cruise altitude of 51,000 feet. And that’s done more efficiently than on previous Gulfstream models. The combination of the advanced Pratt &Whitney PW812GA powerplants, wing with improved aerodynamics, and avionics management should realize up to 30 percent in greater fuel efficiency as compared to a G450 on a hypothetical 3,000 nm journey with eight passengers at Mach 0.85.

The G400 is in development alongside the G800, with its first test aircraft delivered internally and poised for a first flight later this year. Gulfstream predicts the airplane’s entry into service will be in 2025.

Bombardier Global 8000

The gauntlet thrown down in the ultralong-range market appears to be a spitting match between the Gulfstream G800 and Bombardier’s latest entrant in the Global series, the 8000. Yes, that 8000 translates directly into the expected range of the new luxury plat-form—but the Montreal-based OEM wants to not just equal but win on speed. Try Mach 0.94, according to the manufacturer’s latest claims.

And it wants to achieve that speed without sacrificing passenger comfort. Bombardier has developed what it calls the Smooth Flex Wing to blend control and agility with the ability to ride the bumps well. Like its competitors from Savannah, the 8000’s max altitude is 51,000 feet, and it will maintain a cabin altitude of 2,900 feet at FL410. Up front, the Bombardier Vision flight deck on the Global 7500 will assist pilots in managing both short and long segments. Four large-format displays sit between two EFB mounts, supplemented by the head-up display available for both the left and right seat. A fully loaded Global 8000—at 114,850 pounds—is anticipated to need just 5,760 feet for takeoff, with a landing distance of 2,237 feet.

HondaJet 2600/Echelon

In a follow-up to the introduction of the HondaJet 2600 concept—recently rebranded as the HondaJet Echelon— at the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) convention & exhibition in October 2021, Honda Aircraft has made its next move in bringing the new model into its lineup. In June, the OEM revealed that development continues on the project, with its official “commercialization” or plan to pursue type certification on the clean-sheet light jet.

Intended to be a midsize jet in alight jet’s body, the HondaJet Echelon is aimed at a 2,625 nm range (four passengers and one pilot, NBA AIFR) and 450 ktas maximum cruise speed—but at 20 percent better fuel efficiency than other light jets and a 40 percent improvement over midsize models.

FAA type certification should come in 2028, with entry into service as a single-pilot-operated platform. Up to 11 people can be seated on board, with the option for nine or 10 passengers depending on crew requirements. Supply partners include Garmin for the G3000 flightdeck, Williams International and itsFJ44-4C engines, Spirit AeroSystems providing the fuselage, and Aernnova for aerostructures. Fabrication of the first airframe is underway as HondaAircraft completes initial engineering on the program.

Beechcraft Denali

Textron Aviation marked an important rite of passage in any airplane’s development program—its first appearance at EAA AirVenture in late July. The Wichita, Kansas-based OEM flew its third test article to the show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin—called “P2” in company parlance to designate the conforming airplane with a full interior for that phase of the flight test campaign.

There’s a lot you can understand much more immediately than you can with a mock-up. First, the air-plane feels like it stands roughly the same height as its Beechcraft brethren, the King Air 200 series. Once onboard, the ergonomics of the Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck harken to the Cessna CJ series but with the familiarity of the Brand G avionics. The powerplant installation includes FADEC and an auto-throttle—necessary for Garmin Autoland certification.

On the business end, the clean-sheet GE Catalyst engine is proving worthy of the investment in it, according to test pilots. As of May, the program included 26 engines built, with more than 5,400 hours of testing—figures that increase every day. The McCauley prop on the front is helping the combination to achieve even greater fuel efficiency than originally projected. The Denali will be certified with flight into known icing (FIKI) capability, completing what Textron Aviation calls “a jet-like experience.” Still, certification isn’t expected until 2025, recognizing the significant work remaining to bring anew turboprop engine to market.

Extra 330SX

The first production Extra 330SX may not be taking to the skies until next year, but the new single-canopy, aerobatic airplane is already spoken for. At a presentation at EAA AirVenture, company president Marcus Extra introduced Bob Freeman as the first customer.

The Extra 330SX improves upon the 330SC with better cooling up front on the 315 hp Lycoming and a Garmin G3X Touch flight display. The sporty airplane features high-performance ailerons, with 60 percent larger horns and modified wing tips, along with a reduced fuselage length. The combination leads to its stunning roll rate, which the company measures by mounting a Go-Pro in the airplane, taking it out for a series of rolls, then returning that video to the engineering team to calculate the rate.

Other improvements in the cockpit are proposed to deliver greater pilot comfort, including a taller stick with reduced side-to-side travel to better accommodate larger pilots—like Extra, who flew the airplane earlier this summer in a com-petition in Germany for the first time. The first deliveries will take place in2024, with the company ramping up its production space in DeLand, Florida, to meet the challenge.

Van’s RV-15

Van’s Aircraft debuted its first high-wing model at AirVenture 2022. Once more it flew the prototype to Oshkosh for the air show this summer with a few updates made to the still mostly mysterious kit in progress. Most take a bit of sleuthing to determine, but they include changes to the stabilator and anti-servo tab to improve stability and stick forces.

The ailerons have also been reshaped slightly, with hinge points moved, and changes made to the internal control system gearing influence stick throw. Van’s test pilots already report improved stick forces and control harmony.

The prototype stills runs from a fuel tank located in the cabin. Van’s plans to build new wings that will mount the fuel tanks, reported at 60 gallons total, internally, following legacy high-wing designs with this increase in pilot/passenger protection in the event of an accident.

With the wing moving back about 4 inches, Van’s will see benefits to load carrying and CG—and allow for the use of lighter powerplants than the current Lycoming IO-390, though it’s expected to be the core engine.

The airframe features unique, damped landing gear intended to smooth out vagaries in both pilot and runway surface. Van’s is sticking to its previously announced plan* to begin taking deposits 12 to 18 months after the airplane’s debut. It is likely to need at least six more months to get the design pinned down and prepare to build kits.

—With reporting by Marc Cook

*Since this article went to press, Van’s Aircraft has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and the timeline for the RV-15 is unknown.

Tecnam P-Mentor

Tecnam Aircraft debuted its P-Mentor at EAA AirVenture 2023, though the airplane is already approved under EASA CS 23, the equivalent to FAA Part 23 certification. The P-Mentor, featured and test flown in FLYING’s Issue 939, should see the agency’s nod in early2024, according to the company.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor

The P-Mentor is a two-seat aircraft designed to be a primary training platform, equipped with Garmin G3XTouch and GTN 650Xi avionics and boasting almost un-heard-of fuel economy at 3.7 gallons per hour.

This low consumption translates to low operating costs for owners and renters—and means lower carbon dioxide emissions. The P-Mentor’s fuel consumption results in up to nine operating hours between refuelings.

Powered by a FADEC-equipped Rotax 912iSC3 powerplant, the heavier-than-an-LSA P-Mentor shows graceful handling characteristics and docile slow flight and stall behavior. Takeoff ground roll at less than max gross was around 1,000 feet, with a landing roll less than that on a grass strip at the company’s headquarters in Capua, Italy. The comfortable cockpit can also accept a Garmin GFC 500 autopilot for serious cross-country and IFR operations. Several flight schools in the U.S. signed orders for the trainer at AirVenture.

—With reporting by Amy Wilder

Elixir Aircraft

Elixir Aircraft, based in La Rochelle, France, has also posted a sales streak for the training version of its aircraft, with a deal closed in June on more than 100 units—50 on option—with Sierra Charlie Aviation in Scottsdale, Arizona. The agreement caps a growing order book for the OEM as it brings three versions of its single-engine airplane to market.

Most of the models—intended for flight training—feature the 100 hp Rotax 912iS powerplant with a full glass cockpit. Sierra Charlie Aviation plans to integrate the airplanes into its Aviation Career Program, an ab initio course focused on identifying varying learning styles and steering those pilot applicants toward success. The composite airframe is built through the One-Shot manufacturing process to reduce parts count.

Elixir delivered five of its 912iS versions in 2022 for a total of more than 10 made so far by press time. The company was founded in 2015 by a trio of engineers who sought to reduce costs in flight training by lowering parts count and increasing efficiency in training aircraft. The first model achieved initial EASA CS 23 type certification in 2020, with FAA validation pending.

This article first appeared in the September 2023/Issue 941 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post What’s Next in New Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Next week Textron Aviation (NYSE: TXT) will have its wares out in force, led by the Beechcraft Denali, which is making its AirVenture debut. The single-engine turbo is the company’s latest clean-sheet design.

The Denali will join several other Textron designs on display, including the Cessna Citation CJ3+, Beechcraft King Air 360, Beechcraft Baron and Bonanza, and Cessna Grand Caravan EX.

Textron’s training designs will be well-represented with a Turbo Stationair, Skylane, and Skyhawk. The Beechcraft T-6C Texan II, the design popular with military aviators, will be on display Tuesday through July 27.

In addition to representatives from the training and travel Textron stable, the booth will also have displays of McCauley Propeller, Textron eAviation, Bell, and E-Z-GO vehicles including the McCauley newly certified Beechcraft King Air 300 series propeller, the Composite Denali propeller, the McCauley Fixed Pitch, and the Constant Speed propellers.

Pipistrel will also be well-represented with the Pipistrel Velis, Panthera, Alpha Trainer, and Ultra Light.

The helicopter division will be represented by the Bell 505 Jet Ranger and Bell 429.

You can find Textron Aviation at booth No. 78.

The post Textron Denali to Make EAA AirVenture Debut appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In an announcement made during Textron Aviation’s media event on Thursday, May 4, Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president of sales and flight operations, joined program managers from GE, and Dan Lind, senior director of sales and marketing for Garmin Aviation, to update on the development of the clean-sheet design—and reveal the news.

“You’ve heard us talk repeatedly about our product development strategy, which includes both clean-sheet designed aircraft,” as well as updates to popular models, said O’Bannion. “Because we’re aligning the aircraft with the certification of GE’s certification timeline, we’re now expecting the Denali to be certified in 2025. I’m also excited today to announce that we’ll be adding the ‘peace-of-mind’ technology to the Beechcraft Denali cockpit with the Garmin emergency Autoland system.” 

Autoland is the world’s first certified system of its kind for general aviation aircraft, with the ability to activate during an emergency situation and autonomously control the aircraft and land it without pilot intervention. Textron Aviation took customer feedback into account when determining the inclusion of Autoland in the Denali.

Paul Corkery, program manager for GE Aerospace Turboprops gave an update on the powerplant’s progress through certification and testing on the Denali airframe. “It’s running great. We’re getting up to 20 percent better fuel burn and ten percent higher power in cruise,” said Corkey. “We have a 16 to 1 pressure ratio” rather than the 10 to 1 or 11 to 1 ratio typical for engines in the class. “The first two stages of the compressor have variable geometry,” said Corkery. Plus, “we’re running hotter so we have cooled turbine blades—all that gives us that performance” driven by technologies that have trickled down from GE Aerospace’s “big engine” experience.

Textron Aviation and GE have logged more than 5,400 hours in engine testing using the Catalyst engines on the stand, and on the Denali airframe and previous platforms. GE has built a total of 26 Catalysts so far, and Corkery reported they were “75 percent of the way though the test plan.” Certification on the engine is now projected to come in late 2024—setting the stage for Denali’s debut the next year.

In total, flight test has logged more than 540 flights across three test aircraft, with takeoff and landing performance tests one of the sections recently completed.

Adding Autoland

FADEC is integrated into the powerplant development—and this allows for the autothrottle implementation from the aircraft’’s debut. And, it paves the way for Garmin’s Autoland functionality, which requires an autothrottle in order to execute the emergency descent, approach, and landing process.

Dustin Smisor, chief test pilot for Textron Aviation on the Denali flight test program, explained more about the flight testing already conducted using the Autoland system.  Along with more than 1,300 hours of flight testing in both extreme hot and cold conditions, Smisor noted, “We robustly tested the avionics, autopilot, the autothrottle, the environmental control system—I talked about the ice protection system—and really importantly, the engine.

“We as test pilots go above and beyond what normal pilots would do in the course of flying,” said Smisor. “We take the airplane to extremes—really what people would consider abusive kinds of tests,” including lots of in-flight shutdowns and slamming the power up and down. “Every day we’re seeing in flight this fuel efficiency,” he added. “As a test pilot, I’ve kind of had to re-gauge myself because it just doesn’t burn very much fuel.”

As for Autoland testing? “The maturity that we already have in Denali even with the early stages of flight testing is pretty remarkable,” he said. “I personally was on the third flight of testing the Autoland, and we went out to Colorado, got behind Pike’s Peak, and activated the button” to see how it would do around mountainous terrain.

More Engine Details

Chris Lorence, chief engineer on the program for GE Aerospace, said of the comprehensive test program, “It’s a very rigorous approach, but it’s taking a lot of capacity to go do it. We’re almost three-quarters of the way through our test plan—we’ve got six more engine tests and eleven more certification component tests to get through before we’re complete.”

The test program has also put more than 3,400 hours on the McCauley propeller that will be paired with the Catalyst on the Denali. The program also recently checked off the additional maintenance interval inspection tests, where engineers run the engine and then tear it down to inspect components for wear. “One of the areas we always look for when we do these tests is looking at the hot section,” said Lorence. “We’re very pleased with how those parts look.

“It gives you a very jet-like experience,” said Smisor. “Even getting in up front, just the simplicity of the layout, the single-power lever, not very many switches, very integrated, automated tests—it just gives you a jet-like experience. It’s a lot of fun to fly.”

The post Beechcraft Denali Gets Garmin Autoland appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

McCauley, a division of Textron Aviation, announced on its social media channels Wednesday that the C1106 prop completed vibration testing married to the GE Catalyst turboprop powerplant expected to drive the Denali.

The 5-blade composite propeller would be the first to the field with the Catalyst. It completed wind tunnel testing last December in Switzerland at RUAG.

“This is a significant milestone for the entire McCauley team,” said John Dandurand, vice president and general manager, McCauley Propeller Systems. “The completion of vibration testing brings us one step closer to certification of our new propeller for the high-performance Denali turboprop.”

In a report to FLYING, McCauley characterized the nature of the testing just completed. “The vibration testing consisted of conducting strain tests from idle to maximum power,” the company said. “The propeller exceeded all requirements. The Catalyst engine uses a proprietary internal electronic propeller control system, enabling the FADEC to optimize performance during all phases of flight.”

Denali Prop Specs

The 105-inch diameter C1106 prop is fully feathering, with reverse pitch, and nickel-plated leading edge guards. The prop actuates via a single-acting hydraulic control system. The one-piece forged aluminum hub is a new design for the company, and it weighs 150 pounds. Electric anti-ice and de-ice functions will be included as well on the Denali installation.

McCauley targets a time between overhauls (TBO) of 6,000 hours or 72 calendar months. Textron Aviation now anticipates certification of the Denali in the second half of 2024, following a rescheduling of the timeline to accommodate the concurrent Cessna SkyCourier program.

The post McCauley Completes Vibration Tests on Denali Prop appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Supply Chain and Spare Parts Challenges

Ron Draper, CEO of leading industry in general aviation aircraft manufacturer, Textron (NYSE: TXT), spoke with BusinessAir TV in their Cessna Citation Longitude at NBAA-BACE 2022 in Orlando. Draper discusses multiple developments in the aviation industry, regarding supply chain and spare parts as well as the new Cessna Sky Courier and Beechcraft Denali product lines. 

READ MORE: Textron Delivers First Cessna SkyCourier to FedEx Express

To see more content like this, tune in to BusinessAir TV, broadcasting LIVE on Thursdays at 12:30 PM ET. BusinessAir TV brings you the latest events along with the top thinkers, innovators, CEOs, OEMs, suppliers, regulators and operators in aviation. Sign up for alerts and notifications to know when we go live!

The post Cessna Sky Courier and Beechcraft Denali Updates appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The second test aircraft joins the first Denali prototype in the flight-test program that substantiates the segment-leading performance expectations of the Denali. The flight lasted 2 hours and 1 minute, reaching a max altitude of 15,500 feet with a max speed of 240 ktas. 

“This flight is another vitally important step for the Beechcraft Denali program as the aircraft will be used primarily for testing aircraft systems like avionics, cabin environmental control, and ice protection,” said Chris Hearne, senior vice president, engineering and programs. “The team has made great progress, accomplishing key goals in the flight test program, and the Denali team heads into the second half of 2022 with a great deal of momentum.”

About the Aircraft

According to the development team, the Beechcraft Denali is designed to achieve a cruise speed of 285 knots and full fuel payload of 1,100 pounds. The Denali is intended to have a range of 1,600 nm at high-speed cruise with one pilot and four passengers. 

The Denali is the first aircraft to be powered by GE’s Catalyst engine paired with a McCauley 105-inch diameter, composite five-blade, constant-speed propeller—full feathering, with reversible pitch and ice protection. The FADEC-equipped, 1,300 shaft hp (SHP) rated turboprop engine has a single-lever power and propeller control designed to reduce pilot workload.

The cockpit features the Garmin G3000 avionics suite with high-resolution and touchscreen controllers. An integrated Garmin autothrottle is now a standard feature, interfacing with the automatic flight control system (AFCS) and flight management system (FMS) designed to provide easy speed control throughout all phases of flight from takeoff to touchdown.

The Beechcraft Denali passenger cabin has a flat floor designed for versatility. It is easily convertible between passenger and cargo configurations. The cabin, which has large windows and a forward refreshment cabinet, can be configured for six to nine seats. The baggage compartment can be accessed in flight. There is also an option for an externally serviceable belted lavatory in the rear of the cabin.

Turboprop Comparison: By The Numbers

*all data based on manufacturer’s specs and subject to change

**not in production/pre-release numbers not verified by third party

The post Textron Adds Second Beechcraft Denali to Test Program appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Testing took place at RUAG International, an aerospace company located in Emmen, Switzerland. The Denali completed its first test flight last month.

The new propeller is a105-inch diameter, composite, five-blade, constant-speed design capable of full feathering with reversible pitch and ice protection.

The testing included full-scale and model-scale tests that, according to McCauley Propeller Systems vice president and general manager John Dandurand, provides valuable operational and performance data.

“Denali’s first flight with our new C1106 propeller was an exciting landmark for the McCauley team,” Dandurand said. 

“This new propeller will provide owners and operators a great flying experience, offering performance and ramp appeal, combined with the craftsmanship, repairability and durability our customers expect from McCauley.”

The post McCauley Completes Wind Tunnel Testing For New Beechcraft Denali Propeller appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Denali flew for the first time behind the clean-sheet-design GE Aviation Catalyst turboprop powerplant.

The first flight lasted roughly 2 hours and 50 minutes, during which the test team put the airplane through its paces—working through aircraft performance, stability, and control basics, along with tests of the propulsion, environmental, flight control, and avionics systems.

“From the beginning of the flight to the end, the Denali was simply flawless,” said Gracey. “It’s just a great aircraft to fly. The Catalyst engine was outstanding, and the aircraft performed to the levels we were anticipating. First flights really can’t go more smoothly than this. We are really off to an excellent start for the Denali flight test program.”

“Today’s landmark flight is not only a significant occasion for the Denali, it’s a truly great moment for our employees, our suppliers and the customers who will be flying this aircraft,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO of Textron Aviation.

“With its more environmentally friendly engine and largest cabin in its class, this is an aircraft that will change the landscape for high-performance single-engine turboprop aircraft. Today’s flight is just the beginning for what we anticipate will be a long list of important accomplishments as we prepare the aircraft for certification and customer deliveries.”

The Denali Test Fleet

The flight-test aircraft joins two more flight-test articles, with three full airframe test articles for use in ground tests.

The Catalyst engine will produce 1,300 shp as rated, with fadec powerplant controls. The combination of engine and airframe is projected to produce a turboprop with a 285-knot cruise speed and full-fuel payload of 1,100 pounds. 

The five-blade, fully reversing, composite McCauley constant-speed propeller comes with ice protection. 

On the flight deck, the Garmin G3000 avionics suite will incorporate a Garmin autothrottle as standard, integrating with the automatic flight control and flight management systems.

The post Denali Takes First Flight Behind Catalyst Engine appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

An important achievement has been completed in the Catalyst turboprop program: GE Aviation announced Thursday the first flight of its clean-sheet design on a Beechcraft King Air test bed in Berlin, Germany.

The one-hour, 40-minute flight departed Berlin’s Schönefeld Airport yesterday morning after completing ground run tests on September 27.

“The first flight was very successful. I must say, everything went flawlessly,” said Sigismond Monnet, chief test pilot for the program. “We actually flew longer than planned, and the engine performed as we expected. I look forward to proceeding with the flight test campaign and expanding the Catalyst’s flight envelope.”

The FADEC engine is targeted to operate in the 850 to 1,600 shp range, depending on the platform. Its first mount will be the Beechcraft Denali, from Textron Aviation, for which it’s projected to produce 1,300 shp and run on sustainable aviation fuel.

With FADEC, a single-lever power and prop control will allow pilots to operate the turboprop much like a turbofan powerplant.

The development program also illuminates the state of collaboration between FAA and EASA regulatory agencies, with concurrent testing taking place in the E.U. and U.S.

“As the first turboprop ever fully designed, developed and built in Europe in the last half-century, the Catalyst engine is an ITAR-free product also available for military applications,” said Pierfederico Scarpa, vice president of marketing and sales for Avio Aero, GE Aviation’s partner in the project. “In this scope, Catalyst has not only technological maturity, but also outstanding performances being confirmed by an ongoing validation and certification process.”

The news advances the Denali program significantly: “This is a tremendous moment for the Catalyst engine,” said Paul Corkery, general manager of GE Aviation Turboprops. “It is the result of huge efforts by our brilliant team to bring this engine out of the test cell and onto the King Air Flying Test Bed.

“We’re very encouraged by preliminary data from the first flight,” Corkery continued, “and we’re looking forward to continued flight testing on this revolutionary turboprop engine, alongside our launch customer, Textron, that is heading the same way with their Beechcraft Denali prototype.”

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GE Aviation’s Catalyst engine will be the company’s first, all-new clean sheet turboprop engine in 50 years, according to the company’s website. It borrows many technologies from GE’s big engine business to create a full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) turboprop that—if it lives up to expectations—is certain to give Pratt & Whitney Canada’s venerable PT6 a run for its money. Textron Aviation chose the Catalyst to power its new Denali single-engine turboprop. GE expects Catalyst to be certified before the end of 2021. A bi-lateral agreement with European authorities means the FAA and EASA will recognize each region’s work on this US-designed engine that GE expects to be certified before the end of 2022. Work on Catalyst began in 2016. The result has been an engine with 800 fewer parts than traditional turboprops, all thanks to 3D printing.

I checked in for a progress update on Catalyst with Paul Corkery, the company’s general manager for advanced turboprop engines in general aviation and integrated systems, at GE’s AirVenture booth. Corkery reminded me that—thanks to that FADEC—Catalyst is designed to maintain more horsepower and hence more speed to a higher altitude while burning significantly less fuel than its closest competitor. Catalyst at its core, is expected to be a 1,300-horsepower engine, derated to about 1,050 hp for the Denali. “We’ve had six different test cells in place in the Czech Republic around Prague,” in the middle of GE’s European engine operation, Corkery said. Why Prague? “Because we have 400-plus engineers working on this, and we went to where we had expertise in this technology. But we also have a plane (a King Air 350) in Berlin,” that has the first Catalyst strapped on ready for the flight testing to begin. “The King Air is expected to fly about 40 test hours in Germany, before moving on to the Czech Republic for the balance of the flight testing, about 100 hours in total.”

When King Air flight testing is completed, “and we get to final assembly, it’s all going to be in Prague,” he told me. “We’ll have gearboxes and things coming from Italy, we’ll have rotating equipment from different places in Europe and all that will converge with final assembly testing in our Prague facilities.” Corkery said the basic engine has already completed about 30 percent of its certification testing. “We just finished up the icing test, which is a big one. We’re also doing the testing on the initial maintenance intervals (IMI).” The Denali test aircraft in Wichita also has a flight-worthy engine already mated to the airframe just waiting for a final OK to fly.

Corkery said Catalyst, “at 31,000 feet is producing more power than we thought. I think the challenge I’ve had on this on this program is all a paperwork to get the experimental permit to fly in Europe. It’s been a journey.”

While GE hopes to find additional Catalyst customers down the road, Corkery said, “we’re laser focused on the Denali right now to support our customer’s [Textron Aviation’s] launch schedule. We have to demonstrate performance.” He believes the FADEC controlled Catalyst is unique in this marketplace because most engines are normally hydro mechanical control systems. “For one thing, FADEC makes engine management simpler for the pilot. It gives you an optimized reference for where my torque should be and where my speed should be. It sends a signal to the prop controlling the fuel controller. We’re seeing a 15-17 percent fuel burn improvement [over our competitors].”

There’s a lot of investment in Europe around sustainable fuels. “This engine will be running those over the next year,” Corkery added. “It also positions us for hybrid market, which is in its infancy here, but is starting to grow. If you take this prop off and put a permanent magnetic generator on and a power converter, you just created electrical energy for all sorts of different configurations. Another thing is the reduced fuel burn which means less CO2 and 24 percent less NOx. We also feel we’re very well positioned to go into the one-megawatt class hybrid type of solutions.”

“We feel good about this engine. It’s really setting the foundation for us in the future. Of course, my hat’s off to the competition. They’re good. My jobs, you know, is to make their lives tougher, but they’re very, very good. They’ve been around a long time. But I think we’re bringing the right technology [to the marketplace] at the right time.”

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