Pratt & Whitney Canada Achieves Certification for New Gulfstream Engines

Pratt & Whitney Canada has achieved type certification for its new PurePower PW814GA and PW815GA engines, which will power the G500 and G600 clean-sheet, fly-by-wire business jets launched by Gulfstream about four months ago.

As part of the certification effort, the PW800 series engines have gone through more than 3,300 hours of testing, including more than 350 flights on the company's Boeing 747SP test bed. The common core technology incorporated in the engines has undergone more than 15,000 testing hours, P&WC said.

"The PurePower PW800 engine has successfully achieved all of its objectives under a broad range of environmental and operating conditions, exceeding expectations," said Walter Di Bartolomeo, vice president of engineering at P&WC.

The performance and outstanding fuel efficiency of the new engines are achieved through a high-efficiency and low-maintenance single-piece fan, lightweight advanced materials and a new Fadec system with advanced diagnostics capabilities, P&WC said.

In addition to the engines themselves, Pratt & Whitney is providing the new Gulfstream airplanes with engine nacelles and thrust reverser systems. The certification of the PW814GA and PW815GA engines came from Transport Canada. FAA certification is expected soon and should put the G500 and G600 well on track for their targeted certification in 2018.

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Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.

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