General Electric T58

The General Electric T58 was a US turboshaft engine developed for helicopter use. First run in 1955, it remained in production until 1984, by which time some 6,300 units had been built. On July 1, 1959, it became the first turbine engine to gain FAA certification for civil helicopter use. The engine was license-built and further developed by de Havilland in the UK as the Gnome, and also manufactured by Alfa Romeo and IHI Corporation.

Development commenced with a 1953 US Navy requirement for a helicopter turboshaft to weigh under 400 lb (180 kg) while delivering 800 hp (600 kW). The engine that General Electric eventually built weighed only 250 lb (110 kg) and delivered 1,050 hp (780 kW) and was soon ordered into production. First flight was on a modified Sikorsky HSS-1 in 1957 and civil certification for the CT58 variant was obtained two years later.

The main production version of the engine was the T58-GE-10, developing 1,400 hp (1,044 kW). The most powerful version, the T58-GE-16 produces 1,870 hp (1,390 kW). [http://www.geae.com/engines/military/comparison_turboshaft.html]

Applications

* Aerospatiale SA 321K Super Frelon - Used by Israeli Air Force
* Agusta A.101
* Boeing Vertol 107-II
* Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight
* Kaman SH-2 Seasprite
* Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King
* Sikorsky HH-3B/C/E/F
* Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard
* Sikorsky S-61L/N
* Sikorsky S-62
* Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk

References

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* [http://www.geae.com/engines/military/t58/index.html GE Aviation T58 page] and [http://www.geae.com/engines/military/t58/spotlight_history.html T58 history page]