Supervan 900 FAQ

The 208B on wheels and the 208 amphibian is already certified. TTC, Inc. anticipates the following certification schedule for all other models/configurations:

Model U.S. and other Bilateral Agreement Countries Non-Bilateral Agreement Countries

Note: To determine if your country has a bilateral agreement with the United States refer to the following link: http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/international/bilateral_agreements/baa_basa_listing/

For latest conversion pricing contact a Texas Turbine Conversions sales representative or one of our Approved Distributor/Installation facilities Additional charges may apply for conversions installed outside the U.S. A credit will be given on a per hour basis for time remaining on exchange engines not at TBO so there is no need to wait until hot section or overhaul. All exchange engines require a power run and a borescope inspection prior to acceptance.

No, Credit will be given according to the remaining time and condition of the engine and firewall forward.

Now! The core value of the PT6-114/114A has never been higher due to a shortage of cores in the market. You will get the highest exchange credit now at the lowest conversion cost. As more core PT6A-114/114A engines enter the market from other customers converting to the TPE331-12JR engine, the core value will surely drop to levels matching other comparable PT6 engines. Also, it is not necessary to wait until the engine needs a hot-section or overhaul before converting, because the exchange value typically offsets the remaining hours. In some cases, a lower time engine will provide a customer a lower total cost than waiting.

The conversion increases the empty weight by approximately 85 lbs

Texas Turbines spent an extensive amount of time researching the best engine to mate to the Cessna Caravan. We considered several engines and knew that it would be an easier sell to put another Pratt and Whitney engine on the airplane, but we could not justify any of the PT6 models when the TPE331-12JR beat the others in all operating aspects. The following engines were considered:

Pratt & Whitney: PT6A-135A, PT6A-34, and the PT6A-42A
Honeywell: TPE331-10 and TPE331-12JR

The PT6A-34 and PT6A-135A were ruled out early for a multitude of reasons. The -34 was eliminated because of the higher prop rpm and noise level for takeoff, dual exhaust issue, and the lower thermodynamic rating as compared to the -114A, although it did have a higher gearbox limit (750 shp). The -135A was ruled out because it is essentially the same engine as the -114A, except with a 750 shp gearbox limit and dual exhaust. Thermodynamically the -135A has the same power as the -114A at altitude unless you want to run it hotter, which will cost more to overhaul if it makes it there. There have already been enough CT blade issues with the PT6 engine. Running the engine hotter will only cause more issues.

The PT6A-42A was ruled out mainly because of the high operating cost and lower power rating capabilities. The Honeywell TPE331-10 and -12 engines can typically be operated less than the PT6A-114A on the same TBO. Refer to the head to head comparison below.

Head to Head Caravan Comparison
TPE331-12JR vs PT6A-42A

The Honeywell TPE331 engine was chosen for superior fuel specifics, faster power response, higher base TBO, and lower operating cost per horsepower. The engine has proven its reliability in commercial operations around the world and has an in-flight shutdown rate as good, or better, than any engine on the market today. It just makes economic and pilot sense to choose the TPE331-12JR to power the Caravan.

The factory new engines come with a 7000 hour TBO for commercial operators (FAR 135/121 or equiv.) or a 5000 hour TBO for FAR 91 or non-commercial operators. There is one hot section at 3500 or 2500 hours respectively.

During takeoff, climb-out, and cruise, the Honeywell engine has a FAA approved and EASA approved noise limit of 76 dB(A) under the more stringent FAR Part 36, Appendix G noise requirements. This noise level is as much as 7 dB(A) quieter than the PT6A-114A and meets the new strict German noise requirement of 78 dB(A) which the stock Grand Caravan does not meet. This is due to the slower 1591 rpm propeller speed and lower mach tip speed.

Yes. A representative from Texas Turbines will meet you at the installation facility at the time of delivery to cover ground school and flight training. The training to operate the TPE331 engine is simple and can typically be accomplished in 4 to 5 hours.

Yes. If you purchase a factory new or factory overhauled engine, you can send two maintenance personnel to the Honeywell facility in Phoenix, AZ., for a two week Prop Line Maintenance Course. Room and board is not included.

Yes. You will be provided with paper copies of the Honeywell maintenance and illustrated parts manuals, Hartzell maintenance manual, a Supervan 900 aircraft flight manual supplement, and a Supervan 900 maintenance manual supplement.

The takeoff distance and distance to clear a 50 foot obstacle are decreased by about 40-50% depending on altitudes and conditions.

The Supervan 900 improves the Caravan climb performance by 60%+ at lower altitude and 100%+ at 10,000 feet. It takes just under 13 minutes to get to 14,000 MSL on a 35°C/95°F day at a 9000lb. takeoff weight. (See climb chart)

Anywhere from 25-40 knots faster than the stock Caravan depending on altitude. (See cruise chart)

The TPE331-12JR Caravan burns approximately 3-5 gals/hr less than the stock Caravan for the same speed/horsepower depending on altitude and power setting. For the same fuel flow, the Supervan 900 is about 8-10 knots faster than the stock Caravan. (See fuel flow chart in Performance Section)

All factory new engines have the following life-limited components:

A cycle is any operating sequence involving engine start, aircraft takeoff and landing, and engine shutdown. Partial (or abbreviated) cycles are counted similar to the PT6A engine, but the Honeywell engines have less rotating components that get penalized (see engine cycle count comparison).

Yes. We work closely with several banks that offer competitive rates.

No. TTC, Inc. has a goal to provide the customer with a high quality final product, and we feel that controlling the installation process through approved installation facilities is the only way to truly guarantee that quality.

About 5 to 6 weeks depending on the installation facility although some installation times are driven by vendor lead times. Therefore, Texas Turbines does not guarantee installation time.

Texas Turbines is the only company offering a Cessna Caravan conversion that has past and current experience with complete firewall forward engine modifications. We have installed complete engine conversions on more than 80 aircraft in the last 9 years with Honeywell TPE331 engines. Our customers have been so satisfied with our product that not one of our converted aircraft has ever been sold! No other engine conversion company can make that claim. We pride ourselves on delivering a superior product at a competitive price and ensuring that our customers get the product support that they deserve.

The conversion is listed in Blue Book as a value added product. Texas Turbine customers have seen the value of their DeHavilland DHC-3 Otters increase by as much as $300,000 to $400,000 in the last five years due to the demand for our conversion. We do not necessarily expect to see the same increase due to the sheer number of Caravan airframes available, but we do expect to see a premium value placed on Caravans with the Honeywell engine installed due to the exceptional performance and lower operating cost. Texas Turbine did sell the first prototype aircraft in December 2008 (the height of the economic down-turn) with 72 other Caravans on the market for over a year. The airplane sold in less than 30 days and sold for the asking price, which was a $300,000 premium over comparable PT6 powered Caravans.

Texas Turbines is currently building a network of installation facilities around the world. The approved facilities for installation at this time can be found here.