PT6A vs PW120: which Pratt & Whitney turboprop for your fleet?
The PT6A and PW120 aren't rivals, they're Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprops for different sizes of aircraft. Here's where each belongs and how to choose.
Operators sometimes ask us to compare the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A with the PW120, as if they were rivals for the same job. In practice they are not: they are two Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprop families built for different sizes of aircraft. Knowing where each belongs is the key to matching powerplant to fleet.
PT6A vs PW120 at a glance
| Metric | PT6A | PW120 / PW100 series |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Free-turbine turboprop | Twin-spool turboprop |
| Typical power | ~550 – 1,900 shp | ~2,000 – 5,000+ shp |
| Aircraft class | GA, commuter, utility | Regional airliners |
| Example aircraft | King Air, PC-12, Caravan, Twin Otter | Dash 8, ATR 42/72, EMB-120 |
| Configuration | Reverse-flow, single aircraft often single-engine | Larger regional twins |
Both are Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprop families; figures are indicative and vary by variant.
The PT6A: the small-aircraft workhorse
The PT6A is a free-turbine turboprop produced in an enormous range of power ratings, roughly 550 to 1,900 shaft horsepower, and is one of the most successful aircraft engines ever built. Its reverse-flow design and separate power turbine make it reliable, easy to maintain and forgiving, which is why it powers so much of the general-aviation and commuter fleet: the Beechcraft King Air, Pilatus PC-12, Cessna Caravan, Twin Otter and many more. If you operate utility, commuter or smaller regional aircraft, the PT6A is almost certainly your engine.
The PW120 / PW100 series: regional-airliner power
The PW120 belongs to the larger PW100 series, twin-spool turboprops in the ~2,000 to 5,000-plus shp class built for regional airliners. Variants power the Bombardier Dash 8 family (PW120/121/123), the ATR 42 and 72, and the Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia, with the PW150A driving the high-capacity Dash 8 Q400. If you fly 30-to-90-seat regional turboprops, this is the family you are maintaining.
Which engine for your fleet?
Because the two families serve different aircraft classes, the real question is rarely "PT6A or PW120" in the abstract, it is which aircraft, and therefore which engine, fits your network. Once the airframe is chosen, the engine follows. What matters then is sourcing the right variant with sound condition and documented life. Danan Aviation sources and supports both families, including borescope inspections, LLP tracking and overhaul coordination.
Choose the aircraft for the mission, and the engine chooses itself. Our job is to make sure the engine you take on is sound and fully documented.