Honeywell's TPE331-14GR Gets The Nod For 'Efficiency, Reliability and Power'

While last year's Oshkosh finally revealed the answer to "What's Alan Klapmeier going to do next?" This year's Oshkosh was all about "What Powerplant Will Alan Select For The Kestrel?" Well... the answer, much to the delight of a great number of folks at Honeywell, is none other than the TPE331-14GR.

The Kestrel team went through a vigorous process to determine which engine would be best suited to power the current product in development. The Kestrel team notes that their mission is to 'combine high cruise speed and long range, while carrying large payloads in and out of short runways, with particular attention to ease and cost of operation. The power and efficiency of the -14GR is ideally suited to this mission.'

While the mighty TPE331-14GR produces 1759 thermodynamic horsepower, Kestrel will flat rate the engine to approximately 1000 shaft horsepower, to allow for better high altitude, high temperature performance, not to mention powerplant longevity (Face it... at 1000HP, the mill is practically loafing along...).

An equally important decision for Kestrel was not just the engine, but whether the company would make a good team member. Kestrel Chairman and CEO, Alan Klapmeier stated, “Making sure we had the right supplier to further progress on the design was pivotal. Honeywell’s commitment to the success of the Kestrel program makes them a real team member. We are happy to have their support, knowledge, and expertise on board. We look forward to providing our future customers an exciting aircraft.”

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