McCauley Completes Vibration Tests on Denali Prop

McCauley, a division of Textron Aviation, announced on its social media channels Wednesday that the C1106 prop completed vibration testing married to the GE Catalyst turboprop powerplant expected to drive the Denali.

The 5-blade composite propeller would be the first to the field with the Catalyst. It completed wind tunnel testing last December in Switzerland at RUAG.

“This is a significant milestone for the entire McCauley team,” said John Dandurand, vice president and general manager, McCauley Propeller Systems. “The completion of vibration testing brings us one step closer to certification of our new propeller for the high-performance Denali turboprop."

In a report to FLYING, McCauley characterized the nature of the testing just completed. “The vibration testing consisted of conducting strain tests from idle to maximum power,” the company said. “The propeller exceeded all requirements. The Catalyst engine uses a proprietary internal electronic propeller control system, enabling the FADEC to optimize performance during all phases of flight.”

The 105-inch diameter C1106 prop is fully feathering, with reverse pitch, and nickel-plated leading edge guards. The prop actuates via a single-acting hydraulic control system. The one-piece forged aluminum hub is a new design for the company, and it weighs 150 pounds. Electric anti-ice and de-ice functions will be included as well on the Denali installation.

McCauley targets a time between overhauls (TBO) of 6,000 hours or 72 calendar months. Textron Aviation now anticipates certification of the Denali in the second half of 2024, following a rescheduling of the timeline to accommodate the concurrent Cessna SkyCourier program.