A major development decision has been made in the AT-6 programme. We are changing the powerplant configuration and moving to Rotax 916 engines.
This is not a minor adjustment. It is a real design change that affects the next stages of the programme. It means engineering updates, revisions to part of the original assumptions, and the need to repeat selected tests and validation work. In simple terms: there is more work ahead for the team.
But this is exactly what responsible aircraft development looks like. Sometimes the most important decision in a programme is not to stick to the original plan at all costs, but to choose the better solution at the right moment.
In the case of the AT-6, the benefits of moving to the Rotax 916 are significant enough to make that decision the right one. We are talking about both performance and operation. The new configuration gives the programme very strong potential and creates a better path for the final product.
We are looking at this in the long term. What matters is not only getting the aircraft into the air, but making sure it becomes a well-thought-out, modern aircraft that makes sense in real operation. Better performance and more favourable time between overhauls are advantages that cannot be ignored.
Yes, this decision means additional work.
Yes, some things need to be done again.
But we also know exactly why we are doing it.
We are developing the AT-6 the way a good aircraft should be developed – by making decisions that make sense not only today, but for the years ahead.
