Cessna has upped the ante in the single-engine turbo-prop (SETP) market by boosting the horsepower of the Grand Caravan by 25%.
To be branded Grand Caravan EX, the engine power will be boosted from 675 HP to 867 HP courtesy of a new Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-140 turbine.
Cessna expects the extra horsepower will translate into a 350-foot reduction in take-off distance, a 20% improvement in the rate of climb and an extra 10-12 knots on the average cruise speed.
"We listened carefully to our customers when designing the EX, and we think they will be pleased with the outcome," said Lannie O'Bannion, Cessna business leader for the Caravan.
"The Grand Caravan EX will climb faster, and have the power and capacity to take on missions in parts of the world with higher elevations and higher temperatures while still delivering on utility. It's what the Caravan has always been about, and the new enhancements make the Grand Caravan EX an indispensible tool for customers who operate in diverse areas of the world."
The first examples of the Grand Caravan EX are expected to enter service later this year.