Pratt & Whitney Canada has unveiled the certified PT9 turboprop at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas, introducing a new propulsion option for next-generation single- and twin-engine aircraft. Transport Canada certified the engine on 1 October, and the company is targeting the 1,700–2,300-shaft-horsepower class. Pratt & Whitney Canada claims 33% more power at altitude and 20% lower fuel consumption than previous-generation engines.
The PT9 is an all-new centreline design rather than an update of the PT6, filling the gap between higher-powered PT6 variants and lower-rated PW100 engines. The programme involved more than 14,000 development hours and 12 test engines over approximately five years.
Its modular architecture is intended to support different airframe types and future hybrid-electric or thermal-electric propulsion systems. Digital monitoring tracks more than 300 engine parameters, while newer materials, additive-manufactured components and fewer life-limited parts are intended to reduce maintenance requirements.
No launch aircraft, customer or application has been identified. Pratt & Whitney Canada president Satheeshkumar Kumarasingam expects the company to secure one or two customers, with serial production potentially beginning in about 18 months depending on customer agreements. Production is planned at the company’s Lethbridge, Alberta, facility, its global centre of excellence for the PT6 family.