Banyan, Texas Turbine Conversions Partner to Perform Upgrade
/The Banyan maintenance team recently partnered with Texas Turbine Conversions from Celina, Texas, to perform an exciting engine upgrade utilizing an STC (supplemental type certificate) developed by Texas Turbine Conversions called the “SUPERVAN 900.” The existing Pratt and Whitney PT-6A engine was removed and a factory-fresh Honeywell TPE-331-12JR was installed. This complex engine upgrade included replacement of not only the engine, propeller, and all associated wiring and batteries, but also included a complete redesign of the cowlings and exhaust system.
This engine conversion provides the operator with increased horsepower going from 675 shaft-horsepower with the original engine to a whopping 900 shaft-horsepower. Additional benefits include reduced fuel burn and longer maintenance intervals, resulting in lower overall operating costs.
Markus Bastuck with Fallschirmsportzentrum Saar (F.S.S.S.) in Germany has years of experience with Honeywell engines on Merlins. “From my experience, the Honeywell TPE331 engine is extremely reliable, very cost effective for skydiving operations, and gives the Caravan great abilities as a jump plane,” states Bastuck. “Our jumpers reach altitude in less than fifteen minutes and as an operator, we benefit from the 7,000 hour TBO. Additionally, with the stringent German requirements on noise, we discovered the noise level was significantly less than the standard Caravan during flight. The quick takeoff and fast climb enables us to be below the 78 dB(A) requirement,” says Bastuck. Markus stated that they chose the Supervan 900 after completing an extensive amount of research on all the Caravan conversion possibilities. F.S.S.S. has now purchased their second Supervan 900 to operate in Saarlouis Germany.
While Banyan maintenance performed the extensive engine modification, the Banyan avionics team upgraded the avionics suite. The existing Garmin stack and electro-mechanical instruments were replaced with a dual G600 panel, dual GTN 750s, GDL-69A unit, and L3’s trilogy ESI-2000 for a complete glass makeover.
“In addition to the Texas Turbine Honeywell TPE-331 engine conversion program, Banyan Air Service also offers other options for engine conversions on the Cessna Caravan based on the Pratt & Whitney PT6A power plant. The availability of multiple engine conversion options at Banyan allows the operator to select the best engine upgrade path based on their particular flight profile,” says Paul Rose, Banyan’s vice president of technical sales.
Banyan Air Service is a 24-hour, full-service fixed base operation (FBO), with more than 1 million square feet of hangar and office space within an 85-acre aviation complex. Banyan provides comprehensive business aviation services to domestic and international aircraft owners, corporations and governmental agencies. Services include aircraft fueling, hangar services, ground support, aircraft sales and management, heavy maintenance and interior modifications, turbine engine service, structural repairs, avionics services, pilot shop and Jet Runway Café. For more information, visit banyanair.com or call (954) 492-4347.
Texas Turbine Conversions, Inc. is an industry leader in Honeywell TPE331 modifications and has performed over 60 turbine engine conversions utilizing the Honeywell engine. With over 18 years experience with the TPE331 engine, Texas Turbine Conversions, Inc. has the knowledge and experience to provide the best performance and customer support for a Cessna Caravan modified with the Honeywell engine. For more information and jump plane operating comparison charts, visit www.texasturbines.com or call (972) 382-4402 for delivery schedule slots and more details.