Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) has successfully completed the maiden flight of its PW617F engine, selected to power the Embraer Phenom 100 very light jet (VLJ).

The four-hour flight aboard PWC’s Boeing 720 flying test bed achieved an altitude of 20,000 feet and included a number of tests of engine capabilities. Subsequent flights characterized the engine up to 41,000 feet. “The engine performed flawlessly and exceeded our expectations,” said Dan Breitman, v-p for turbofan development.

Featuring a dual-channel FADEC, the PW617F was chosen by Embraer to power the Phenom 100 in May 2005, and engine design work began two months later. PWC’s new PW600 engine series is designed for a 50-percent reduction in parts count, and incorporates numerous new technologies. PW617F certification is expected in the fourth quarter of next year, the third for the series, of which the PW610F (Eclipse 500) and PW615F (Cessna Mustang) have been certified and are being delivered.