PT6 Turboprop Celebrates 45 Years

FLYING Staff

Monday, July 14, 2008 at 08:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Pratt & Whitney's PT6 engine is celebrating its 45th anniversary as the world's most famous turboprop, powering a wide range of aircraft from the original King Air 90 to modern models like the TBM 850 and Pilatus PC-12.
The PT6 has continuously improved over its 45 years, increasing its power output from just over 500 shp to 2,000 shp or more through advancements in airflow and high-temperature materials.
With 330 million flight hours of experience, the PT6 is recognized for launching Pratt & Whitney's successful line of business airplane turbine engines for a diverse array of aircraft.

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Pratt & Whitney is marking the 45th anniversary of the PT6 engine, the most famous turboprop engine in the world. The first engine powered the Beech King Air 90, and versions of the PT6 continue to power dozens of models from the King Air 90GT to highly successful singles such as the TBM 850 and Pilatus PC-12.

The PT6 story has been one of continuous improvement in engine air flow and high-temperature materials. The first engine produced just over 500 shp at sea level on a cool day, but versions of the engine now generate 2,000 shp and more. Pratt claims 330-million flight hours of experience for the PT6 and credits the engine with launching a line of business airplane turbine engines that power a huge range of airplanes from the light Cessna Mustang jet to the ultra-sophisticated Falcon 7X.