GE Aviation runs ATP engine for first time

GE Aviation has achieved its “biggest and most important” goal of 2017, by running its new Advanced Turboprop engine for the first time.

The engine, which has cost $400 million to develop, was run on 22 December at GE Aviation’s facility in Prague, Czech Republic.

“This milestone comes as a result of two years of tremendous effort by a worldwide team.”

Brad Mottier, vice president and general manager of GE Aviation’s BGA and Integrated Systems organisation, said that running the engine during 2017 was “our biggest and most important goal”.

He added: “This milestone comes as a result of two years of tremendous effort by a worldwide team. We’re developing a real catalyst for the BGA market and we’re executing on plan. The integration of proven technologies has expedited the design, development and certification cycle of the engine.”

The Advanced Turboprop engine will begin certification testing this year. It will power Textron Aviation’s new Cessna Denali, which is expected to fly in late 2018.

Paul Corkery, general manager for GE Aviation Turboprops, added: “The continued testing will generate valuable data from the engine and validate the aerodynamics, mechanics, and aerothermal systems. With the engine run and most of the individual component testing completed, early indications show that we will meet or exceed all the performance numbers we have quoted for the engine.”

Since Mottier unveiled the Advanced Turboprop engine at the NBAA convention in November 2015, GE Aviation has committed more than $400 million to developing it. The company also finalised an agreement with the Czech government to build its new turboprop headquarters for development, test and production in the Czech Republic.

GE released a short video on the first run of the engine