Textron's clean-sheet single-engine turbo-prop Beechcraft Denali was revealed to the Oshkosh audience for the first time this week.
Still in development, the Denali is not yet type-certified, but its arrival at Airventure has given the public a chance to look over one of the production prototypes.
“The Denali's clean-sheet and high-performance design is revolutionising the single engine turbo-prop market,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Sales and Flight Operations.
“Beechcraft turbo-props are renowned for their versatility and reliability, and I’m thrilled to unveil the newest member of the legendary product family to the world.”
Bearing a remarkable resemblance to its main competitor, the Pilatus PC-12, the Denali is nonetheless a new design, with the main point of differentiation being the 1300-shp GE Aerospace Catalyst turbine up the front.
Engineered to achieve cruise speeds of 285 knots and full-fuel payload of 500 kg, the Beechcraft Denali is designed to have a range of 1600 nm at high-speed cruise with one pilot and four passengers.
Textron is aligning the Beechcraft Denali aircraft certification timing to the certification timeline for the new GE Catalyst engine, which means the first examples are due to be delivered to customers in 2025.
Hawker Beechcraft first proposed an SETP in 2012, which was to be based on a Hawker Premier jet airframe, but after Textron bought out Beechcraft, they reverted to a clean-sheet design.
Initially branded as a Cessna, a Denali mock-up was first presented to the world at Airventure in 2016. In July 2021, Textron announced the Denali would carry the Beechcraft brand instead.