Cessna Denali


The Cessna Denali, previously known as the Textron "Single Engine Turboprop", is a single engine turboprop aircraft under development by Textron Aviation. Announced at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015, the aircraft is a completely new design, not derived from any existing aircraft. It should compete with the Pilatus PC-12 and Daher-Socata TBM, as well as other new projects such as the One Aviation Kestrel K-350 and the CAIGA Primus 150.

Development

In November 2015, GE Aviation announced its General Electric Advanced Turboprop had been selected to power the aircraft.
On 23 May 2016 Textron announced the SETP performance and cabin details.
At the 2016 AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the project was named Cessna Denali. In May 2017, after testing with a fuel system ground testing rig and the propeller, Textron announced it had started building static and fatigue test articles, including the aft cargo door. Flight testing was to begin in the third quarter of 2018, followed by certification in 2019.
In February 2018, assembly of the first prototype was underway in Wichita, for a first flight scheduled to occur before the end of the year. Service entry is scheduled for 2020.
In May 2018 ground tests continued and all major components were being fabricated, including the nose, fuselage, wings and the tail cone.
Three flying prototypes were being completed for an intended first flight scheduled for early 2019.
By October 2018, the first prototypes fuselages and flight controls were nearly complete, and wings were starting to be constructed, towards a 2020 certification.
By October 2019, first flight was pushed back by slow testing of the GE Catalyst, as Textron expects its first turboprop in 2020.

Design

at should be. Its cabin is 58×63 in tall and wide with a flat floor, 3 inches wider than its closest competitor; the 59×53 in tall by wide cargo door is larger than the PC-12's 53×52 in door.
Metal bonding makes the wings more leak-proof to prevent fuel leaks, and automatic drilling saves some labor.
The cabin is precisely mated to other structures thanks to careful edges routing and pin-locating tools.
To lower the number of holes and fasteners needed, large parts like the wing spar and main doors are monolithically machined from a single aluminum billet, or chemically milled like the titanium firewall.

Specifications