On the Record with

DAVE CAPLAN, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA

Pratt Canada Expands Helicopter Presence

"We're covering the whole spectrum of the helicopter market, slowly but surely." That's how Pratt & Whitney Canada chairman and CEO Dave Caplan sums up the engine manufacturer's relatively recent strategic decision to commit itself to the rotary world.

Pratt is here at Heli-Expo with its newest certified engine, the PW207, illustrating the progress it has made in powering the newest light twins to come down the pike. The 600-shp-class PW206 family has dominated the light-twin arena, being chosen for the MD900 and 902 Explorers, Eurocopter EC135, Agusta A109 Power, and the Russian Kazan Ansat 6-8 passenger helicopter.

The PW207, certificated in November, offers 14% more thermodynamic power than the PW206, with 710 shp at takeoff and 820 shp in One Engine Inoperative mode. It will power the Bell 427 light twin, and can retrofit any PW206-equipped helicopter as it bolts into the same mounts.

"We were the last into the market with our engine, yet we have captured five programs with the PW200 family"more than any other manufacturer, Caplan said. "We're pleased with the market penetration. The EC135 has been in service now since August 1996, and the A109 since December that year. MD has a backlog, and is experiencing a renewed commitment from buyers." Orders for the yet-to-be-certified Bell 427 stand
at around 85.

The engine competes head to head in only one applicationthe EC135where a customer can choose between the PW206 and the Turbomeca Arrius. Both manufacturers say the Arrius has done rather better to date; Turbomeca claims up to 80% of that market, but Caplan is quick to point out that most EC135 deliveries to date have been in Europe, to traditional Turbomeca customers.

Plans call now to grow the PW200 up to 900 shp through a continuous infusion of technology to power future programs. This will bring it into competition with the Turbomeca Arriel and larger Rolls-Royce Allison 250 engines.

Pratt's PT6 powerplant, which Caplan describes as "really a new engine," has also been winning its share of applications. Not only does it power the Bell Agusta BA609 tiltrotor, but it was recently chosen for the new twin-engined AB139 15-passenger utility helicopter. In addition the PT6 powers the new single-engined Agusta A119 Koala, and the twin-engined Polish PZL Swidnik W-3 Sokol helicopter. The PT6 won its first helicopter application in 1970 with the -3 Twin-Pac on the Bell 212, marking P&WC's entry into that market. Since then Pratt has delivered nearly 7,600 helicopter engines of all types including 237 in 1997 and 191
last year.

The biggest challenge facing Caplan now is to expand the company's worldwide support facilities to include the PW200. To date it has designated only its own factory-owned facilities to handle that family while it gains experience with the new engine, but will extend authorization to independent shops in due course. Plans call to add a product support and spares center in Brazil as P&WC grows its worldwide presence.

"Our philosophy is to expand the service network around the world to get as close as possible to the customer," Caplan said. Pratt is also concentrating on cost of ownership, and its Eagle Service Plan is growing in popularity with operators.

"We can tailor the plan for each customer, to guarantee maintenance costs for the life of the engine or for however long the customer wishes," Caplan said.

By John Morris