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.
GE’s Paul Corkery Updates Progress on the Catalyst Engine
Key Takeaways:
- GE Aviation's Catalyst engine is its first all-new turboprop in 50 years, utilizing FADEC technology and 3D printing to achieve 800 fewer parts, positioning it as a competitor to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6.
- The engine is designed for superior performance, offering 15-17 percent better fuel burn and more horsepower at higher altitudes than competitors, with simplified pilot management due to its FADEC system.
- Currently selected by Textron Aviation for its new Denali single-engine turboprop, the Catalyst is undergoing extensive testing with certification expected by the end of 2022, and is being developed with an eye toward sustainable fuels and hybrid market solutions.
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