Smyrna Air Center Named GE Designated Walter M601E Engine
Installer
GE Aviation has named the Power 90
as a GE Preferred Engine Conversion for the King Air 90 aircraft.
Additionally, Smyrna Air Center has been named a GE Designated
Engine Installer for the Walter M601E engine on King Air 90
aircraft. Smyrna Air Center of Smyrna, Tennessee, holds the rights
to the Power 90 conversion Supplemental Type Certificate (STC).
Power 90 is an FAA-approved STC conversion for King Air 90, A90,
B90 and C90 aircraft in which the original engines are replaced
with the more powerful 751 shaft-horsepower (shp) Walter M601E-11A
engines. The E-11A engine delivers faster rates of climb, higher
flight levels, faster cruise speed than current engines and lower
acquisition and maintenance costs compared with competing
conversions. To date, more than a dozen King Airs have been
converted to M601E-11A engine power.
"Smyrna Air Center has proven to be
a strong advocate for the Walter M601E engine with its Power 90
conversion on King Air 90 aircraft," said Brad Mottier, GE Aviation
vice president and general manager of Business and General
Aviation. "We are proud to recognize them with these designations
and look forward to continuing to grow our relationship."
"We are excited about our affiliation with GE Aviation," said
Erick Larson, chief operating officer of Smyrna Air Center.
"Working with GE Aviation is an opportunity to showcase our Power
90 King Air conversion. We believe King Air 90 owners and
operators are hungry for an engine option like the Walter M601. Our
relationship with GE Aviation lends credibility to the project and
gives us much greater exposure for our Power 90 conversions."
Based at the Smyrna/Rutherford
County Airport (MQY) near Nashville, Smyrna Air Center is a
one-stop aviation support FBO with a factory authorized maintenance
and avionics center specializing in corporate and general aviation.
Smyrna Air Center, an Avfuel provider, offers 54 T-hangars in
addition to a large 38,000-square-foot common hangar that is both
heated and air-conditioned. The FBO facility has conference rooms,
wireless Internet, pilot lounges, 2,500 square feet of office space
and a Part 145 Repair Station.
Last summer, GE acquired certain assets of Walter Engines
a.s., an aircraft engine design and manufacturing company with a
distinguished history in aviation. Since that time, the new
business, GE Aviation Czech s.r.o., completed its move to a new
135,000-square-foot facility in Prague. The new facility includes a
new surface-treatment plant that was awarded certification by the
Czech Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and National Aerospace and
Defense Contractors Accreditation Program in June. The site also
boasts new engine test cells, which were completed earlier this
month. The GE Aviation Czech facility employs about 400
employees.
The former Walter Engines produced more than 37,000 engines, and
its Walter M601 turboprop engine family has attained 17 million
flight-hours on 30 applications since its introduction in 1975.