When Textron Aviation unveiled its engine plans for its single-engine turboprop, the Denali, the chosen powerplant, the GE Catalyst engine, was still a work in progress. Its targeted much lower fuel burns coupled with a first for a turboprop—automatic digital power control—made a splash. After delays, the engine was finally FAA approved this year, but in the meantime, Pratt & Whitney has unveiled automatic power control, known as FADEC (full authority digital engine control) on a couple models of its ubiquitous PT-6 turboprop engine. And Daher announced that it was, indeed, using just such an engine on its brand-new Daher TBM 960, which was unveiled at Sun ’n Fun in April.
FADEC for Turboprops
Key Takeaways:
- The GE Catalyst engine, chosen for the Textron Denali and featuring low fuel burn and automatic digital power control, recently received FAA approval after initial delays.
- Concurrently, Pratt & Whitney introduced its own FADEC (full authority digital engine control) technology, offering similar automatic power control for some PT-6 turboprop models.
- Daher has already adopted a Pratt & Whitney engine with FADEC for its new TBM 960, unveiled at Sun 'n Fun, showcasing the rapid integration of advanced engine control systems by competitors.
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