GE Aviation's turboprop business takes off in 2009

Eighteen months ago, GE Aviation acquired certain assets of Walter Engines, a Czech Republic-based manufacturer of small turboprop engines and high precision machined parts for the aviation industry. Renamed GE Aviation Czech, the business has made great strides. Among the highlights are a new facility and test cells. GE Aviation Czech moved to a 135,000 square-foot facility in Prague in earlier 2009. The facility includes CNC machining centers, EDM and NDT capabilities and a new surface-treatment plant. The most recent addition includes three new automated engine test cells for development, certification and serial production acceptance testing of turboprop engines. About 400 employees work at the new facility.