Pratt & Whitney sign agreement with Raytheon

Pratt & Whitney Canada and Raytheon Aircraft have signed an agreement to develop a new light jet propulsion system, called the PW625F. Together the companies aim to develop a 2,500 pound thrust demonstrator engine for test running later this year; test bed flight-testing is due to start in early 2002.

Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon have collaborated on several engine development programmes over the past 40 years, including the PT6 engine [PT6A-34 pictured left] for the Beech King Air series of turboprops and the PW308A engine for the new Hawker Horizon super mid-size business jet.

The core technology of the PW625F demonstrator engine is designed to be scaleable across the entire PW600 turbofan and turboprop family. The company says that a PW600F turbofan, in the 1,000 to 2,500 pound thrust range, could be available within 36 months from a formal programme launch.

John Wright of Pratt & Whitney said, "We are delighted to have Raytheon as a developmental partner for our PW625F, a member of a proposed family of engines designed for the general aviation and small business aircraft markets. This demonstrator programme will enable us to fully explore the technologies of this new family, which we view as a game-changer in the general aviation market."

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