Transport Canada Awards Pratt & Whitney Engine Type Certification

The move brings the engine one step closer to entry into service, the company said.

Last year Textron Aviation announced it planned to use the PW545D to power its new Cessna Citation Ascend business jet.

"As the latest derivative in the PW500 engine family, we look forward to the Ascend's entry into service," said Cedric Gauthier, vice president of sales and marketing for GA at Pratt & Whitney Canada. "Certification was granted following 630 hours of engine testing, in addition to 230 hours of flight testing on the Ascend prototype test aircraft."

Pratt & Whitney has been making aircraft engines since 1925, when the company, which was established as a precision machinery manufacturer in the 1860s, built its first aircraft engine, the Wasp. 

According to Pratt & Whitney, the PW545D engine uses an advanced mixer and efficiency improvements in the compressor and turbine sections. This allows for a lower fuel burn, thus reducing operating temperatures.

The new engine is also equipped with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) technology which is included with many PW500 models. The engine enables the Citation Ascend to integrate new autothrottle technology for simplification of engine operation, reducing pilot workload while maximizing efficiency.