GE Aviation is closing in on its second type certification for its Electronic Engine and Propeller Control (EEPC) system. The company has submitted an application to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for approval of the EEPC-equipped H80 turboprop engine on the Thrush 510G.

An EEPC-equipped Thrush 510G successfully completed its first flight in March. To date, nearly 250 hours of EEPC system ground and flight tests have been accumulated.

GE's EEPC is the business and general aviation industry's first turboprop offering single-lever control of the engine and propeller operations. It features also include an auto start, as well as speed, temp and torque limits.

"The single-lever control allows pilots to push for takeoff and not worry about temperatures, speeds or torque, which no other turboprop manufacturer can claim, said Brad Mottier, GE Aviation's VP of Business and General Aviation and Integrated Systems business. "We have gotten great, positive test pilot feedback from not only a performance standpoint but a safety factor as well."

Next year, GE and Thrush plan to offer an EEPC-equipped H85 for 510G operators, providing additional horsepower for crop dusting missions.

The first type certification for EEPC was granted by EASA last November and approved by the FAA in March for Nextant Aerospace's G90XT, a remanufactured and reimagined King Air C90. Last October 25, GE Aviation and Nextant successfully completed first flight of the H75-powered G90XT in full EEPC configuration.

With another two applications to follow, the EEPC-equipped H Series has already been selected for four aircraft applications.

The EEPC includes three key components or elements are:

1.Electronic Engine Control Unit - The EECU acts as the brain of engine control system, responsible for electronic control of the engine and propeller via a single lever. It auto-starts the engine and automatically prevents overtemp, overspeed and overtorque, leading to longer engine life and easier maintenance.

2.The Fuel Metering Unit - The FMU meters how much fuel the engine needs. Integrated with the fuel pump, the FMU guarantees the engine always has the proper amount of fuel - nothing more, nothing less.

3.Electronic Prop Governor - This part controls the propeller speed, forward & reverse blade pitch control. It mechanically prevents the engine and propeller from overspeed, again.

The H Series turboprop family incorporates GE's 3-D aerodynamic design techniques and advanced materials to create a powerful, fuel-efficient, durable engine with no recurrent fuel nozzle inspections and no intermediate hot section inspection required for a multitude of uses: agricultural, business turboprops, commuter and utility aircraft. GE offers H Series turboprop engines with 4000-hour time between overhaul (TBO) for Agriculture, Utility and Business Aviation Aircraft. An extension program is also offered to extend TBOs for in-service engines.