Raytheon Aircraft has received US certification of the uprated Beechcraft King Air C90GT, intended to rival very-light jets. Powered by 750shp (560kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135s flat-rated to 550shp, the twin-turboprop has a 272kt (500km/h) maximum cruise speed; takes 22min to reach its 30,000ft (9,150m) ceiling; and has a 232m shorter take-off distance at maximum weight.
Source: Flight International
US regulator the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will take no immediate action to address a smoke-related issue involving the CFM International Leap-1B engines that power the Boeing 737 Max.
The engine-maker says the successful demonstration involved a GE Aerospace CT7 turboshaft engine combined with internally-produced electric machine and power electronics.
GE Aerospace in 2025 plans to use two of the world’s fastest computers, both at US-government-funded research facilities, to study how its open-fan engine concept will integrate with an aircraft’s wings and other structures.
