Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

GE Aviation made the first flight with its new Fadec-equipped Catalyst turboprop engine this afternoon in Berlin. Announced customers for the 1,300-shp-class engine include Textron Aviation, for its new Beechcraft Denali turboprop single, and XTI, which plans to use it as part of its hybrid powerplant for the TriFan 600 VTOL aircraft.
The 107-minute local flight, performed with GE’s Beechcraft King Air 350 testbed aircraft, was “flawless” according to Paul Corkery, GE general manager for turboprop engine programs. “We’re thrilled with the results," he said. "The engine ran great. We really feel comfortable with it.” According to data from FlightAware, the aircraft reached an altitude of 10,275&nbsp;feet and a speed of 226 knots.&nbsp;
Announced in 2015, the Catalyst is designed to fill power needs in the 850- to 1,600-shp range. It is the first turboprop made with 3D printed components and features a 16:1 overall pressure ratio.&nbsp;Corkery said more flight testing will be required before Textron Aviation can fly the engine on the Denali, but he intimated that could be soon.
“We have to run 20 tests to clear safety of flight on Denali and we have just started the 20th one. We have to run more points for them and go through a different set of flight envelopes to clear them. But this is our last of 20 different tests for them,” he said. Other recent tests concluded on the engine include initial maintenance inspection (IMI) after 500 thirty-minute simulated flights in a test cell.
If all goes according&nbsp;to plan, Corkery said, GE would likely gain FAA certification for the engine by the end of 2022.&nbsp;“We’re about a third done with our certification testing” and certification documentation submission, he said. That includes 2,000-cycle IMI testing as well as&nbsp;vibration, over-temperature, and ice crystal tests. Corkery said he expects&nbsp;the certification campaign to go smoothly due to the extensive development testing already completed on the engine, adding that&nbsp;“we feel comfortable that we will have a minimal amount of issues.” To date, 16 test engines have completed 2,600 hours of ground testing.&nbsp;
Targets for the engine include at least a 20&nbsp;percent reduction in specific fuel consumption compared with existing powerplants in class, operating simplicity via single-lever power control, and hotter combustion to reduce both CO2 and NOx emissions. Corkery said the engine employs technology gleaned from GE’s larger-engine programs, such as variable-geometry compressors that deliver a better power lapse rate. “As you increase altitude, you hold the power better. We run hotter and have cool turbine blades,” he said, noting that&nbsp;GE plans&nbsp;to fly the engine on the testbed for up to another 150 hours.&nbsp;
While the engine will have some life-limited parts, Corkery said that he expects service requirements for most of the engine will be “on-condition” as opposed to fixed time between overhaul intervals. “The fadec enables that," he commented.&nbsp;"We’re collecting a lot of data at a high acquisition rate. We have very good data to support that using the ‘digital twin’ of the engine that we have developed.”&nbsp;
While Corkery said GE is “laser-focused” on delivering the engine to Beechcraft, he noted that the company is considering its application to other aircraft such as in the case of XTI, which would use it as a power generator in a hybrid powerplant solution. “Of course, we looked at the broader landscape," he said. "It is expensive to do a new centerline development from start to finish, especially with fadec in this market.
"Hybrid is particularly interesting. This is a 1,300-shp&nbsp;engine. If you take the prop off and attach a permanent magnet generator, it’s a one-megawatt solution, a really nice foundation for a hybrid solution. It’s another area we’re looking at.” Corkery said GE is also looking at applications for the new engine in UAVs as well.&nbsp;
With an eye to sustainability, Corkery said GE will also begin running Catalyst in its test cells next year using a blend of 50 percent sustainable aviation fuel and “move up" from there.&nbsp;
"We feel that is low risk for us," he added.&nbsp;"We see SAF as a big trend.”&nbsp;
GE is gearing up for serial production of the new engine at its Global Center of Excellence for Turboprops in Prague where the company’s H series turboprop engines are manufactured. For Catalyst, GE added four additional test cells, including two prop test cells and two dyno test cells, as well as the flying test bed. “We’ve invested a lot in the machining capability there and we can hit the run rates of our customers,” he said.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

GE Aviation Completes Catalyst First Flight

GE Aviation made the first flight with its new fadec-equipped Catalyst turboprop engine this afternoon in Berlin.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

Charles Alcock

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

The first hybrid-electric flights above 30,000 feet, as well as the first across the North Atlantic, GE says.

GE Aerospace and Beta Technologies Cross Atlantic in Hybrid-electric Saab 340B Commuter Aircraft

Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

Lack of Funding Shuts Hydrogen Propulsion Pioneer Stralis

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Turboshaft has flown more than 600 hours after first flight in March 2023

EASA Issues Type Certificate for AW09 Arriel 2K Engine

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Engines

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

GE Aerospace and Beta Technologies Cross Atlantic in Hybrid-electric Saab 340B Commuter Aircraft

The first hybrid-electric flights above 30,000 feet, as well as the first across the North Atlantic, GE says.

Lack of Funding Shuts Hydrogen Propulsion Pioneer Stralis

Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

EASA Issues Type Certificate for AW09 Arriel 2K Engine

Turboshaft has flown more than 600 hours after first flight in March 2023

FAA’s Rocheleau Admits Unleaded Avgas Timeline May Slip

Deadline of Dec. 31, 2030 may have to be moved if a suitable fuel isn't available

Sikorsky and Safran Pledge Increased Collaboration

Proposal promises accelerated engine innovation

Canada Could Keep Gripen Engine Work at Home

GE and Magellan sign F414 support agreement

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN