ENID, Oklahoma – Aircraft Structures International Corp. (ASIC) has revealed plans to install the Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A-140 turboprop engine into the Cessna Grand Caravan and the original Caravan, with Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) in place by the end of 2014. The modified Caravan will be called the ULtimate Caravan.
The new STCs will provide Caravan owners similar performance to the Cessna Grand Caravan EX in their existing airframes. This will offer Caravan owners a performance appropriate engine that is matched to the Caravan missions while retaining the single side exhaust, company officials noted.
ASIC plans to fly the ULtimate Grand Caravan before the end of the second quarter this year, followed closely behind by the ULtimate Caravan and completion of the FAA STCs for both models before the end of the year. EASA certification will follow along with individual countries depending on demand, company officials said.
After the first flight ASIC will start taking refundable deposits and reserving delivery dates. Customers can take credit for hours remaining to engine basic time between overhaul (TBO) on their eligible PT6A-114/114A core engines, allowing the conversion to be accomplished prior to TBO while maintaining core engine value.
“We have dedicated ourselves to the service and repair of Caravans for over two decades and this is another way we can continue to serve our customers with modernizing their Caravans when buying new is not an option,” said Mickey Stowers, ASIC president.
He went on to say ASIC has plans for additional improvements to the Caravan that will help owners lower the cost of operation and improve performance. These additional improvements will be announced at a later date.
For more information: ASIC.aero