Busy times for helicopter manufacturers bringing new rotorcraft to market are keeping engine maker Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) busy as well. Among the new turboshafts approaching certification is its PW210A engine for AgustaWestland’s new AW169 twin. At the same time, the PT6C-67E will soon be powering the service entry of the new Airbus Helicopters EC175.
Meanwhile, the PW206B3 turboshaft is close to completing approval for the EC135P3 single being developed by Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter). The airframer has also turned to P&WC to provide the PW210E engine for the new X4, which is due to replace the ubiquitous AS365/EC155 Dauphin models starting in 2017.
P&WC is also playing a key part in the tiltrotor revolution, with its PT6C-67A engines selected to power the AW609 model that AgustaWestland plans to get certified in 2017. The hybrid aircraft promises to combine the speed of a fixed-wing aircraft with the versatility of a rotorcraft.
“Given our traditional strength in the [helicopter] segment, augmented by our success in leveraging our existing models with new derivatives that boast better fuel consumption and better hot and high performance, we believe the future is very bright,” said P&WC marketing vice president Richard Dussault.
P&WC is marking a quarter century of its PW200 turboshaft family. The first flight was achieved in October 1988 when a PW205B powered the Bo105LS developed by Germany’s Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm (now part of Airbus Helicopters). The 620- to 735-shp PW200 series has since emerged as a mainstay engine choice for light twin helicopters and is well suited to roles such as utility, emergency medical, offshore, corporate, paramilitary and law-enforcement. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the PT6B-36.
The PW200 features an electronic engine control with full hydro-mechanical backup. Its simple design based on just three major rotating components makes the maintenance workload easier for the operator. According to the manufacturer, its low specific fuel consumption, lightweight materials and compact architecture further enhance its impressive thermodynamic performance.
