NBAA: Pratt & Whitney Canada Set to Begin Deliveries of Production Engines for Ibis Propjet

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 10, 2002 -- Pratt & Whitney Canada expects to begin deliveries of PT6A-66A production engines at the end of 2002 for the single-engine, nine-passenger Ae270HP turboprop propjet being developed by Ibis Aerospace Ltd., a joint venture between AeroVodochody (AV) of the Czech Republic and AIDC of Taiwan.

"The Ae270HP development program is moving forward as planned, with the fifth prototype aircraft expected to fly this fall and US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification scheduled by the end of 2003," said Joseph Torchetti, Vice President, International Business Development, P&WC. "We are very proud to be supporting this unique collaboration project between the Central European and Asian aerospace sectors and congratulate Ibis for the success of the ongoing development program."

P&WC's 850 shp PT6A-66A turboprop engine was selected by Aero Vodochody of Prague to power the Ae270HP in November 2000, further confirming the dependability and reliability of the PT6 engine series on single-engine aircraft used in revenue service. The PT6A-66A engine has obtained Transport Canada and FAA certification.

The Ae270HP is a large-cabin, pressurized aircraft powered by a single PT6A-66A engine capable of carrying two crew members and eight passengers over 1,410 nm with NBAA IFR reserves at 270 Kts cruising speed. Designed for transport, corporate and utility applications, it offers excellent economy, reliability and safety, and its cabin can accommodate multiple configurations for a variety of missions.

Ibis has received nearly 70 firm orders and options for the AE270HP from distributors and operators in the U.S., Canada, Australia and South Africa, and is forecasting total market sales of 1,000 or more aircraft.

Under the Ibis joint venture, AV is responsible for the engineering, procurement and most of the manufacturing of the Ae270HP, while AIDC will produce the wing. "Through its mother companies, Ibis has access to top design, development and manufacturing capabilities and a local customer support presence in three of the largest markets for the Ae270HP: North America, Europe and Asia," noted Jiri Fidransky, President, Ibis Aerospace. "Ibis is an excellent example of a successful global, multinational aerospace venture with inherent advantages for financing, risk sharing and pooling of resources."

The PT6A-66A engine installed on the Ae270HP will be backed by P&WC's extensive customer support capabilities, which include a network of field support representatives; factory-based technical support; a 24-hour help line for spares and logistics support; dedicated customer training centres; and a network of factory-owned and authorized independent service facilities on six continents.