GE H85 Engine Selected for New Chinese Turboprop

This would be the first application for the 850-shaft-horsepower H85 turboprop engine, a derivative of GE’s H80, which recently entered service on the Thrush 510G agplane. GE developed the engine family from the Walter M601, a Czech Republic design first run in the 1960s and used for many years in various utility and agricultural airplanes.

China-based CAIGA and GE have signed an agreement to jointly develop a service and support program for Primus 150 and expand turboprop engine service capabilities in China. The H85 is currently undergoing certification testing.

CAIGA’s Primus 150 would be a five-place, pressurized business turboprop featuring a carbon fiber composite fuselage. Max speed is projected to be 324 knots and max range 1,350 nm. First flight is planned for next year with entry into service scheduled for 2015.