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Aircraft Stepups Misc Modifications

PT-6 Overhauls: Complex and Expensive

As a variation on the tired trope about not being able to afford something if you have to ask its price, we offer this: If you want a detailed understanding of all there is to know about the myriad models of Pratt & Whitneys workhorse PT-6 turbine, youd need a career change just to frame the question. If variety is the spice of life, the PT-6 is off-scale high on the Scoville index.Daunting or not, PT-6s eventually have to be overhauled and the market for such services is competitive and well-served, albeit structured a bit differently than the piston-engine overhaul world. Given the complexity, newbie PT-6 owners-and there appear to be more every year-may be unavoidably dependent on advice from shops which either specialize in aircraft powered by the PT-6 or, better yet, independent consultants who understand these unique engines.

Paul Bertorelli
Verified

As a variation on the tired trope about not being able to afford something if you have to ask its price, we offer this: If you want a detailed understanding of all there is to know about the myriad models of Pratt & Whitney’s workhorse PT-6 turbine, you’d need a career change just to frame the question. If variety is the spice of life, the PT-6 is off-scale high on the Scoville index.

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Paul Bertorelli

Paul Bertorelli is Aviation Consumer’s Editor at Large. In addition to his valued contributions to Aviation Consumer, his in-depth video productions on sister publication AVweb cover a wide variety of topics that greatly contribute to safety, operation and aircraft ownership. When Paul isn’t writing or filming, he’s out flying his J3 Cub.