Centerline turboprop engine includes components made with additive manufacturing.
The new Catalyst turboprop engine has been certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to GE Aerospace, which designed and manufactured the Catalyst engine, the Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 33 certification involved more than 23 engines and 190 component tests.
Catalyst is a new centerline turboprop and the first to be certified to the latest FAA standards, which include more than 20 significant new requirements, such as stricter fuel efficiency standards and requirements for the use of advanced manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing.
“The certification of the Catalyst engine is a significant milestone for our company and a proud moment for all our team members who have dedicated their efforts to the design, development, and testing of this brand-new European turboprop engine,” said Riccardo Procacci in a press release. Procacci is president and CEO of Propulsion and Additive Technologies at GE Aerospace. “We are now fully committed to supporting the production ramp-up of the engine towards the entry into service in support of our customers.”
According to the company, the test engines completed more than 8,000 hours of operation during the certification process to demonstrate its ability to meet key performance targets.
“Catalyst has been through a rigorous certification and testing process,” said Paul Corkery, Catalyst General Manager at Avio Aero in the same release. “We are pleased with the performance of the engine throughout its ground and flight test campaigns, and we remain fully focused on supporting Textron Aviation as they complete the certification process and prepare for entry into service of the Beechcraft Denali.”
GE Aerospace claims that the engine will bring a radical change to this segment as a direct result of its 16:1 overall pressure ratio, which enables up to 18% better fuel consumption and up to 10% higher cruise power compared to competitors in the same engine class. Catalyst also introduces two stages of variable stator vanes, cooled high-pressure turbine blades, and features components made with additive manufacturing.
The Catalyst engine belongs to the GE Aerospace suite of next generation engines and was designed, developed, and manufactured at GE Aerospace sites in Europe, including Avio Aero in Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany.
