Shortly AFTER ANN broke the news; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) has officially disclosed that Eclipse Aviation Corp. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has selected PW610F engines to power its twin-engine Eclipse 500 jet.

"We are delighted to be involved in this exciting aircraft program, which is bringing new value to the general aviation market," said Alain M. Bellemare, President, P&WC. "We believe our PW610F engine is a perfect match for the Eclipse 500."

"This win is highly strategic for us," continued Mr. Bellemare (right). "It provides an excellent platform for our family of low-thrust range engines and strongly positions the PW600F in this fast emerging jet market segment. This new engine family is really making its mark with a second selection in less than two months."

The PW610F engine selected for the Eclipse 500 is flat rated at 900 pounds of takeoff thrust at sea level to ISA +10 degrees C with built-in growth capability and is controlled through a dual-channel FADEC. The engine type certification is scheduled for the first quarter of 2006.

"As the company that created this fast-growing new segment of the market, Eclipse is excited to see P&WC establish such a strong leadership role with the PW600F engine family," said Vern Raburn, President and CEO of Eclipse Aviation.

The PW600F family, spanning the 900- to 3,000-pound thrust range, represents P&WC's smallest turbofan engine series. It is intended to provide operators with optimum value and performance with significantly reduced ownership costs.

A 2,500-pound thrust demonstrator engine, the PW625F, completed a first flight on a flying test bed in October 2002. "The outstanding performance of this engine, a larger version of the PW610F, during the test flight was a key factor behind Eclipse Aviation's engine selection," noted John Wright, Vice President, Business Aviation and Military Engines.

Once in service, the engine will be supported by a comprehensive 3-year, 1000-hour warranty package with a Time Between Overhaul (TBO) of 3,500 hours and a mid-life Hot Section Inspection (HSI) at 1,750 hours. P&WC's Eagle Service Plan (ESP(R)) and Fleet Maintenance Program (FMP(R)) will also be offered for further in-service support.

FMI: www.pwc.ca