Williams International received FAA Part 33 type approval yesterday for its new FJ33-5A engine. The turbofan employs aerodynamic and structural enhancements similar to those developed for the previously certified FJ44-3AP and -4A engines, giving the FJ33-5A more than 2,000 pounds of thrust, high fuel economy and a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 6:1.
Since the new FJ33 engine has been selected to power the Cirrus SF50 Vision and Flaris LAR1, it also includes sensor suite redundancy and software revisions needed for the single-engine jet market. The engine was originally developed to power the single-engine Diamond D-Jet, which was shelved in 2013.
Williams said the FJ33-5A joins a “comprehensive” product line of FJ33 and FJ44 engines that range from 1,000 to 3,800 pounds of thrust. All have wide-sweep fans, Fadec controls and low-emissions combustor technology.