Honeywell Aerospace has signed a preliminary agreement to provide its HTS900 engine for XTI Aircraft Company’s (XTI) first prototype, a two-thirds piloted subscale of the TriFan 600 vertical take-off aircraft.

Under the deal, Honeywell will also supply an additional engine, which will be installed on XTI's ground propulsion test system.

The newly signed contract has been followed by XTI’s previous announcement of building, testing and flying the subscale as its first prototype or technology demonstrator within the next two years.

XTI chief engineer Dr Dennis Olcott said: "XTI selected Honeywell because the HTS900 turboshaft is the newest addition to Honeywell's family of engines incorporating a next-generation dual-centrifugal compressor architecture.

“Honeywell has been powering business aviation for more than four decades, and its engines provide exceptional efficiency, reliability and performance."

“Honeywell has been powering business aviation for more than four decades, and its engines provide exceptional efficiency, reliability and performance."

Capable of carrying six people, the TriFan 600 will be XTI will build an operational propulsion jet stand that will feature Honeywell engine, drive train system, fans and flight controls.

The TriFan 600 will also able to take off and land vertically, and cruise at a speed of 400mph.  

The prototype can reach up to a range of 1,600 miles.

As part of the TriFan 600 development scheme, XTI started a crowdfunding programme in January, which is open to all investors worldwide.

In April, the company announced that it had exceeded $1m in equity crowdfunding investments and the programme has since received more than $20m in expressed interest.

Image: A two-thirds piloted subscale prototype of the TriFan 600 will be powered by a Honeywell HTS900 engine. Photo: courtesy of XTI Aircraft Company.