Crop dusters and firefighter pilots in Europe now have a new airplane option as Thrush Aircraft Company has received the sign off from the European Aviation Safety Agency for its Thrush 510G. With a price tag of around $900,000, the turboprop single received FAA certification in 2012 and has also been approved in Canada, Argentina and Brazil.
The airplane is powered by the GE Aviation H80 turboshaft engine, which produces 800 horsepower. The H80 is a modernized version of the successful M601, which was designed in the Czech Republic by Walter Aircraft Engines. The H80 has more power, greater efficiency and durability, and fewer maintenance requirements compared with its predecessor, with a TBO of 3,600 hours or 6,600 cycles.
