Pratt & Whitney Powers New Citation Ascend

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) announced at EBACE in May that its new PW545D engine will power the Cessna Citation Ascend, the latest addition to Textron Aviation’s business jet family.

AvBuyer  |  22nd May 2023
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    Pratt & Whitney to Power new Cessna Citation Ascend


    Providing an upgrade on the PW545C-powered Cessna Citation XLS Gen2, the Citation Ascend will utilize the new PW545D engine. The new powerplant was designed and enhanced by P&WC for Textron to deliver improved specific fuel consumption, thrust (4,700lbs) and time between overhauls (up to 6,000 hours, see below).

    Featuring a compact, accessible design that facilitates installation and on-wing maintenance, the PW545D provides Citation Ascend operators with the flexibility to accomplish a variety of missions, while continuing to deliver the impressive reliability for which the PW500 has become known over the decades, complemented by Pratt & Whitney’s comprehensive plans that lock in maintenance costs.

    “The PW500 turbofan family has established itself as the engine of choice for Light to Mid-Size business jets thanks to its proven safety, reliability and durability, attractive operating economics and comprehensive maintenance plans,” said Nicholas Kanellias, Vice President, General Aviation for P&WC.

    “The PW545D is the latest engine in this family. We injected all we’ve learned from the more than 4,600 PW500 engines produced to-date, which have accumulated over 22 million flying hours.”

    Preliminary performance targets for the Citation Ascend indicate a four-passenger range of 1,900nm at high-speed cruise power (with an estimated maximum range of 2,100nm); a cruise speed of 441kts; and the ability to climb direct to 45,000ft.

    According to Textron, design improvements on the aircraft - including Pratt & Whitney's PW545D powerplants - deliver the ability to carry a higher combination of payload and fuel load while retaining access to short runways.

    Building on the success of the PW545C, the PW545D incorporates new materials and technology, including a more efficient high-pressure compressor for increased flow; an enhanced single-stage, high-pressure turbine module, and an advanced exhaust mixer to reduce fuel consumption and noise.

    It is also equipped with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) technology, enabling the Citation Ascend to integrate new auto-throttle technology that simplifies control, maximizes efficiency and reduces pilot workload.

    Advanced Health-Monitoring & Diagnostics

    The engine supports digitally-driven advanced health monitoring and diagnostics, in combination with the FAST (Flight, Acquisition, Storage and Transmission) system. With FAST, the engine’s full-flight data is downloaded, stored and analyzed by experts, enabling deeper insights and predictive diagnostics to optimize engine performance and maintenance requirements.

    Owners and operators with FAST installed who are enrolled on Pratt & Whitney’s Eagle Service Plan hourly maintenance program can take advantage of the 6,000-hour TBO option.

    The Citation Ascend and its PW545D powerplants are expected to enter into service in 2025.

    P&WC Extends CAMP Contract to 2040

    Other EBACE news from Pratt & Whitney revealed the company has signed a contract extension with CAMP for its engine health monitoring (EHM) data analysis service through 2040 for all its turbofan, turboshaft and turboprop engines.

    CAMP, which has provided its service to Pratt & Whitney Canada since 2010, currently provides EHM data analysis to 25,000 P&WC engines in service. 

    “Engine health monitoring is a critical aspect of our pay per hour maintenance programs, including our Eagle Service Plan (ESP) and Fleet Management Program (FMP),” said Irene Makris, Vice President, Customer Service.

    P&WC’s ESP maintenance program covers scheduled and unscheduled engine maintenance while the FMP program helps fleet operators lock in lower operating costs and simplified engine maintenance management.

    “CAMP is the largest engine health monitoring service provider in the world and is a key strategic collaborator in our efforts to drive continuous innovation in engine health monitoring for our growing fleet of engines and evolving customer needs,” Makris added.

    “We are delighted with this contract extension as P&WC is a long-standing collaborator,” said Sean Lanagan, President, CAMP. “CAMP’s engine health analysts help interpret an engine’s performance trend data that is delivered through our leading technology platform.

    “This provides customers with cost savings and peace of mind as we can identify problems before they can have an impact on aircraft performance and dispatch availability.”

    6,000 PW300 Engines Produced

    Also at EBACE, Pratt & Whitney Canada announced it had delivered the 1,000th PW308C turbofan engine to Dassault Aviation for its Falcon 2000 series, and production of the 6,000th engine in the overall PW300 family.

    “The PW308C engine is special, as its selection at the National Business Aviation Association in 2000 was the first time Dassault opted for one of our engines for its prestigious business jet portfolio,” said Anthony Rossi, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Pratt & Whitney Canada.

    The PW308C served Dassault’s intention with the Falcon 2000 to combine the aircraft’s short-field capabilities with transcontinental range.

    “The PW300 family of engines made its debut at the 1985 NBAA Convention, and the 6,000th engine milestone is ample proof of the engine’s enduring appeal in the Business Aviation community, its exceptional performance and its ability to constantly reinvent itself,” Rossi added.

    Dassault’s original Mystère-Falcon 20 launched with JT12 engines, and Pratt & Whitney Canada’s collaboration with Dassault grew as its PW307A/D engines were selected to power the Falcon 7X and Falcon 8X, respectively, and the PW812D was chosen for the new Falcon 6X.

    Across various airframes from several OEMs past and present, including Bombardier, Dornier, Gulfstream, Textron and even Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo, the engine family has flown 26 million hours and powers 2,500 aircraft around the world.

    More information from www.pwc.ca


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