Certification applies to all new Thrush aircraft – as well Thrush 510P’s built from 2006 forward and modified with new kit coming from the company.
(Albany, GA) With the stroke of a pen on an official document, the FAA has certified that the Thrush 510P now joins its sibling, the Thrush 510G, as being fully compliant with the most modern certification standards – and able to officially fly at its fully operational gross weight of 10,500 lbs.
This certification marks the culmination of more than eight years of hard work from the engineering team at Thrush – which was given the mission of ensuring every new 500-gallon aircraft built by the Albany, Georgia manufacturer is fully certified to today’s most modern regulatory standards, and able to operate legally at their full weight capacity. Mission accomplished.
In addition, Thrush will offer kits to current Thrush 510P operators that will allow their aircraft to be in compliance with the new certification standard as well.
The kits will be available through the Thrush dealer and factory Service Center network – and are estimated to require roughly 24 man-hours to install.
The new certification covers Thrush 510P serial number T34-273 forward, which includes virtually every PT6A-34AG powered aircraft built since the new Thrush began manufacturing in 2003. Today, 510P serial number T34-455 is rolling off the assembly line, so roughly one hundred and eighty 510P’s already in the field will be eligible for the kit and its accompanying gross weight increase.
“Thrush Aircraft has and will always put pilot safety first – and ensuring all of our aircraft are certified to the very latest standards and can safely work day in and day out at their full operational weight is a key element in doing just that,” said Payne Hughes, president of Thrush Aircraft.
“We made a significant investment in putting our designs through the rigors of FAA performance and structural testing because our customers count on our airplanes to be fully capable of bringing them home safe and sound each night. It’s a responsibility all of us here take very seriously – and loose guidelines and overload factors published more than 40 years ago don’t instill the level of confidence we think customers deserve. Which is why we want to ensure our airplanes are always built to the highest standards possible.”
“What we now have – in both the Thrush 510P and the Thrush 510G are airplanes you can load to their maximum – and have full confidence when you do. All day. Every day. You simply shouldn’t settle for anything less” he concluded.
