Textron Aviation’s new Denali turboprop single will no longer be branded under Cessna as the company realigns the program. Now known as the Beechcraft Denali, the aircraft will join the Beechcraft King Air 260 and 360/360ER as part of Textron Aviation’s high-performance turboprop product lineup.

“The Beechcraft Denali represents our continued strategy to invest in clean-sheet and current products in both our Beechcraft and Cessna iconic brands. Beechcraft turboprops are renowned for their versatility and reliability, and the single-engine Denali is a perfect complement to this legendary family of products,” said Textron Aviation president and CEO Ron Draper.

Meanwhile, the Denali development program has recently achieved several milestones as it continues to gain momentum toward an anticipated first flight later this year. Earlier this month, the first GE Aviation Catalyst engine was installed on the Beechcraft Denali prototype and the aircraft was powered on for the first time. Engine runs are expected to start next month. To date, the Catalyst engine has completed more than 2,300 hours of ground testing and will soon be flown on a King Air testbed.

Two other Denali flight-test articles are also in development, and three additional ground-test articles will be used for the airframe static and fatigue tests, as well as for cabin interior development and testing. FAA certification of the Denali is anticipated in 2023.