The PT6 Turbo Prop Motor?

Question

How many flight hours is this PT6 turbo prop motor good for? It sucks in Jet-A. What happens if the owner lives in a 3rd world country outside of the FAA's jurisdiction and decides to run the engine longer then it's planned obsolescence?

Answer 1

As long as you maintain a PT-6 properly, it'll never become obsolete. The situation that you describe sounds as if a pretty major overhaul might be in order. It's hard to say without actually taking a look at the engine itself.

Answer 2

The PT6 in all its variations is a great engine; overhaul time is usually around 3500-4000 hrs. Regular maintenance is necessary. Pratt & Whitney will tell you however that running a whole lot past the TBO will start costing you a whole lot more when you do go to get the engine overhauled.

I don't think its terribly uncommon however to see a lot of these engines run well past TBO in some of the backwaters of the world. Its just a matter of how safe you feel with a high time turbine and how much you want to spend to overhaul/replace it.