The Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC), which is jointly owned by Honeywell and Rolls-Royce, has shipped the first of its CTP800-4T propulsion system units (PSUs) for the Ayres Loadmaster.
The new Ayres Loadmaster aircraft built by the Ayres Corporation of Albany, Georgia has been selected by Federal Express (FedEx) for use in its air cargo feeder operations. The flight test PSU will be mated to the firewall forward portion of the nacelle in preparation for the first test flight of the Loadmaster later this year.
The CTP800-4T PSU has successfully accumulated more than 350 hours of testing, driving a 13-ft diameter propeller. Rated at 2,700 hp, the PSU to be mounted in the nose of the Ayres Loadmaster will comprise two CTP800-4T engines driving a single propeller through a reduction combining gearbox. LHTEC's technology provides the Loadmaster with superior power-to-weight, fuel consumption and low operating costs, while maintaining the power and reliability of two engines.
Source: Flight Daily News
