That was a work in progress that was never completed or flown. Our Sr. VP of Engineering was running it sort of unofficially, without an approved budget or higher management approval. When he retired, the project didn't last long. The Mustang based testbed that was in design and construction used a PT-6, the real project would have used a new engine, which was never developed much beyond the talking and preliminary design stage, although Williams did run a testbed engine. The complete project was supposed to be a family, with two different sized fuselages and engines, plus including a combi version (two engines, one prop), plus a turbofan version which became the Mustang. The goal at the lower end was turboprop power at a Malibu price.

There are pictures of it flying.

https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comme ... turboprop/

Clearly has a spin chute fitted.

Thought it was an engine testbed for Denali using that new GE engine and never was intended to be a product concept.

Mike C.

There are pictures of it flying.

https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comme ... turboprop/

Clearly has a spin chute fitted.

Thought it was an engine testbed for Denali using that new GE engine and never was intended to be a product concept.

Mike C.

I took a pic of it while going home for lunch one day. It flew out of the Cessna experimental field east of their Pawnee plant/north of McConnell AFB. I thought it would be an excellent product in their lineup and was surprised it did not make it into production.

Avweb may or may not have published my pic.

Why do you think it was a weird idea?

If they wanted to play in the SETP market, they already had the airframe and tooling taken care of.

Cosmetically, it looks acceptable. Cabin size is good for the 6-seat market.

I don’t know what Cessna’s intentions were but I’m not seeing this as an odd experiment.

A cabin and wing designed for a jet won't fit a production turboprop. Wing is in the wrong place, the nose loads are all wrong, the tail volume won't be right, the engine support structure in the back is wasted weight, etc.

You can hack it together for a test bed, but just because the outer skin doesn't look horrible doesn't mean it isn't horrible underneath.

I guarantee this experiment was not a step to using the Mustang design as a production turboprop.

Not long after this, they stopped making Mustangs altogether and "invented" the M2 to replace it. The Mustang was too expensive to build since everything about it was unique as compared to the 525 line so it lacked economies of scale. Mustang owners are now sometimes reminded of that when they face part shortages, their stuff is unique.

The turboprop Mustang was a testbed for the GE Catalyst engine that is going on the Denali. If Denali has switched to a PT6, no one has told the Textron website that, it claims the engine will be the GE Catalyst.

Mike C.