Honeywell Ups Coverage To Five Years Or 2,500 Hours

Operators flying Cessna Caravans with the Honeywell TPE331-12JR turboprop engine, which now powers a dozen Cessna Caravans upgraded by Aero Twin, Inc. and Texas Turbines Conversions, got word Monday that the warranty has been extended on the engines to five years or 2,500 hours.

“The TPE331 turboprop engine provides up to 30 percent more power, reduces fuel burn by about four gallons an hour, has a faster throttle response, and costs as much as $40 an hour less to operate than the production motor on the Caravan,” said Mike Bevans, technical sales director, Business and General Aviation, Honeywell Aerospace. “The TPE331 now has an even lower cost of ownership on the Caravan with a standard five-year, or 2,500-hour,  warranty.”

Both the Aero Twin and Texas Turbines Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) are certified for flight into known icing. The STCs are available for the Cessna Caravan (model 208) with wheels or floats and the Grand Caravan (model 208B). The standard installation for a -12JR engine is 850 to 900 shaft horsepower. However, Aero Twin, based in Anchorage, Alaska, can upgrade a Cessna Grand Caravan to 950 shaft horsepower.

“The Caravan is a fantastic airplane, and we’ve just helped it get to the next level,” said Tony Cestnik, president of Aero Twin. “The Caravan  demonstrates outstanding water performance as an amphibian, and with shorter water takeoff – just 14 seconds – operators get more operational flexibility and reduced airframe stress.”

Texas Turbines, based in Celina, Texas, notes that their STC complies with the strict new German Airfield Noise Protection Order. “The TPE331 meets Germany’s flyover noise limit, which solves a problem for some current Grand Caravan owners,” said Bobby Bishop, president of Texas Turbines. “Our  customers rave about the power, performance and fuel savings they achieve with the modification.”

The TPE331 has unparalleled reliability and efficiency, demonstrated in use on more than 80 aircraft platforms worldwide. More than 13,000 TPE331 engines have been produced, accruing more than 115 million hours. The engine’s single spool design provides pilots with immediate power response and its proven reliability pushes the TPE331 to the top of customer support surveys. The TPE331 is also on the Reaper/Predator-B unmanned aircraft.

FMI: www.honeywell.com