Soloy hopes to dust off plans to re-engine the Cessna 208B Caravan next year under its new owner. Soloy intends to re-engine the utility aircraft with a more-powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6. This replaces its ambitious Pathfinder 21 programme to stretch and equip the Grand Caravan with its Dual Pac powerplant combining two PT6s driving a single propeller.
A feasibility review of replacing the Caravan's 675shp (505kW) PT6A-114 with a 850shp PT6A-42A was completed in 2001, but the programme did not proceed as Soloy focused instead on the Pathfinder 21, which uses two PT6A-114As and a combining gearbox to produce almost 1,325shp. With the Pathfinder 21 effort scaled back to a testbed for other Dual Pac applications, the PT6A-42A re-engining programme is one of two Soloy plans for next year with the backing of original equipment manufacturers.
The second will involve turbine conversions for two aircraft produced by an unidentified manufacturer, says Soloy chief executive David Stauffer.
Re-engining the 208B Caravan with the PT6A-42A will improve short-field and hot-day performance, climb capability, high-altitude cruise speed and safety margin in icing conditions. The modification involves a new engine mount, top inlet, dual exhausts and four-blade Hartzell propeller.
Source: Flight International
