http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/February/Pilot/Quick-Look-King-Air-B100
This type seemed to bring on board the efficiency of the Garrett engines, purely by chance due to a P&W strike, but Beechcraft only produced them in limited numbers.
On choice of turbine interesting to see that the Beechcraft Textron SET project is using Walter technology for what appears to be a stretched PC-12 competitor, or BE-1900 SE replacement.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0T51EV20151116
Will P&W revamp the PT6? Why the 1950’s free turbine technology of the PT6 has dominated for fifty plus years is worth a case study. Can a free turbine even be updated to FADEC?
RobertL18C wrote:
Will P&W revamp the PT6? Why the 1950’s free turbine technology of the PT6 has dominated for fifty plus years is worth a case study. Can a free turbine even be updated to FADEC?
The answer is yes it can, as PT6 variants are available with FADEC
Neil thanks, there may still be some technical reason why they haven’t transferred the technology to the turboprop PT6 family?
This link shows how many turboprops use the PT6, it makes an incredible list.
http://www.pwc.ca/en/engines/pt6a
..and the airline turboprops also are free turbines with no mention of FADEC…
http://www.pwc.ca/en/engines/PW100%20|%20PW150
There must be some reason for P&W’s dogged commitment to the free turbine design philosophy.
This useful brochure from P&W has some reasons, namely starting reliability, ability to shut down in feather, and lower noise footprint on the ground.
