Enters Market For Small Turboprop Engines

The Associated Press reports General Electric Aviation Engines has completed its purchase of Walter Engines, the Czech producer of small turboprop engines for light aircraft.

As ANN reported, GE announced plans to buy Walter last August, saying the purchase would expand its presence in Europe and the Czech Republic -- as well as in the increasingly lucrative light turboprop segment, dominated for years by Pratt & Whitney Canada's PT-6 family.

Walter Engines was founded in 1911, and began to build engines in 1923. Since then, the company has produced over 37,000 engines. More than 1,500 of those are derivatives of the M601 engine, first delivered in 1975.

The M601 is used on over 30 aircraft types, including such aircraft as DeHavilland DHC-3s, Comp Air turboprops, King Airs, and the LET L-410 twin turboprop regional aircraft. As of last year, the M601 had accumulated over 16 million hours in service.

GE did not disclose terms of the sale. Walter Engines also manufactures high precision machined parts for the aviation industry, and employs over 500 workers in the Czech Republic.

FMI: www.geae.com