Western Aircraft, a Greenwich AeroGroup company based in Boise, Idaho, has recently completed its first Speed Cowl installation on a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft.

Speed Cowl was developed by EDMO as an aftermarket, FAA STC upgrade to the stock cowl that currently comes on a PC-12. The simple modification improves the efficiency of conducting air into the engine, providing increased ram air recovery to the engine, resulting in better performance. The modification can be performed without interfering with other systems in the aircraft, making the upgrade non-invasive.

“Our customers rave about this installation because it improves the performance of the aircraft in a very noticeable and meaningful way, and the modification can be done efficiently while the aircraft is already here for an annual inspection,” says PC-12 technical representative for Western Aircraft Carl Coffelt. “It takes minimal time to install, so it won't extend the amount of time the aircraft is with us, making it a very convenient upgrade for our customers.”

Compared to the stock cowl, Speed Cowl lowers the ITT 20 to 30 degrees at the same PSI setting. EDMO indicates that the Speed Cowl promotes better airflow, allowing the engine to perform the way it was designed without hurting it or consuming more fuel. It also features a heated lip design which, by reducing the temperature of the exhaust entering the lip and maintaining a more steady temperature of the heated air as it moves through the lip, will reduce the possibility of heat damage to the carbon fibre and paint over time.

Western Aircraft is the largest Pilatus dealership in the world selling both PC-12 and PC-24 aircraft, with its technicians also servicing nearly 100 PC-12 airframes every year.