Pratt & Whitney Canada and ATR announced the certification of the PW127XT-L engine by Transport Canada, the Canadian civil aviation authority. The new engine version offers increased performance to meet the requirements of the future ATR 42-600S short takeoff and landing version.
The new variant was launched by ATR in October 2019 with the aim of offering performance capable of operating on runways just 800 meters long.
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According to ATR, the aircraft will be able to access around 1,000 airports with short runways across the globe, allowing local populations to fly faster and more capable.
ATR and Pratt & Whitney are now awaiting EASA validation, which should happen before the end of the year.The ATR 42-600S is scheduled to enter service in 2025. The planemaker says it has more than 20 commitments for the aircraft.
“The PW127XT-L marks the 200th engine type certification achieved by Pratt & Whitney Canada, and delivers the 20% lower maintenance costs, 40% improved time on wing, and 3% better fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions, which characterise the PW127XT engine series,” said Edward Hoskin, Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Vice President, Engineering
Bigger rudder
The STOL version will have the best performance in its class, says ATR, surpassing the old Q200, a smaller variant of the Dash 8 turboprop, which is no longer produced.
The Canadian aircraft can take off from 1,000-meter runways and land in just 780 meters, following the company’s tradition of short takeoff and landing aircraft.
The ATR 42-600S promises to operate on runways of just 800 meters due to small changes to the turboprop. The main change is to increase the rudder area to allow better control of the aircraft at low speeds.
Maintaining the same engine power as the other versions, pilots will be able to choose two power modes, one for STOL operations and another to prioritize efficiency.
