3032096 - Pratt & Whitney Turbine Engine Igniter Plug for PT6 Engines

3032096 – Pratt & Whitney Canada (Champion FHE19-6H) Turbine Engine Igniter Plug

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The Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) 3032096 is a flight-critical, high-energy turbine engine igniter plug, manufactured as part number FHE19-6H by Champion Aerospace as the certified Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) component. This igniter is engineered for the demanding environment of the P&WC PT6A series engine's combustion chamber. Its sole function is to receive the high-energy (Joule) pulse from the engine's exciter box and generate a high-intensity plasma spark, thousands of degrees in temperature, to reliably ignite the atomized fuel-air mixture.

This igniter's performance is paramount for both ground starting and, most critically, for in-flight relight capability in the event of a flameout. It features an advanced semi-conductor, surface-gap firing tip, which provides a self-cleaning action superior to traditional air-gap plugs, offering exceptional resistance to carbon and fuel fouling. The body is constructed from a nickel-based superalloy to withstand the extreme temperatures and corrosive gases of the turbine environment, while a high-purity alumina ceramic insulator provides the necessary dielectric strength to prevent voltage flashover.

Key Features

• Genuine P&WC OEM Part: Certified by Pratt & Whitney Canada and manufactured by Champion Aerospace (P/N FHE19-6H).

• High-Energy, Surface-Gap Firing Tip: Utilizes a semi-conductor surface to produce a massive, ablative spark.

• Superior Anti-Fouling Design: The surface-gap discharge provides a "self-cleaning" action with every spark, vaporizing carbon and fuel deposits that would foul conventional plugs.

• High-Purity Alumina Insulator: Provides maximum dielectric strength to prevent high-voltage arcing and electrical insulation under high temperature and pressure.1

• Nickel-Based Superalloy Shell: Offers exceptional resistance to oxidation, corrosion, and thermal stress in the extreme (1500°F+) combustion environment.

• Critical for In-Flight Relight: Engineered for the high-reliability performance required to relight an engine in flight, a critical safety function.

Technical Specifications

• P&WC Part Number: 3032096

• OEM Manufacturer Part Number: FHE19-6H

• Component Type: High-Energy Turbine Igniter Plug

• OEM Manufacturer: Champion Aerospace (for P&WC)

• Shell Material: Nickel-Based Superalloy (e.g., Inconel 600 or similar).

• Insulator Material: High-Purity Aluminum Oxide ($Al_2O_3$) Ceramic

• Firing Tip: Semi-conductor / Surface-Gap

• Harness Connection Thread: 3/4-20 UNEF

• System Type: Designed for High-Energy (HE) Capacitor-Discharge ignition systems.

• Associated Parts: Requires P&WC Gasket P/N 3017452 (sold separately) for installation.

Aircraft Compatibility

This igniter is not specific to an airframe but is a certified component for the following Pratt & Whitney Canada engine models:

• PT6A Series: -11, -11AG, -15AG, -21, -25, -27, -28, -34, -34AG, -34B, -35, -36, -38, -41, -42, -50, -60A, -60AG, -61, -64, -65B, -65R, -65AG, -65AR, -66, -67, -67A, -67B, -67AG, -67D, -67R, -67T, -110, -112, -114A, -116, -121, -135, -135A

• PT6B Series

• PT6C Series

• PT6T Series

Crucial Note: Verification against the specific engine's current Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC) and maintenance manual is mandatory to ensure correct part number applicability.

Applications

The 3032096 serves one purpose: to ignite the fuel-air mixture within the engine's combustion chamber. This is required for:

• Ground Starting Sequence

• In-Flight Engine Relight (following a flameout or compressor stall)

• Continuous Ignition (as selected by the pilot in heavy precipitation or turbulence)

Why Choose 3032096?

The 3032096 is the genuine, P&WC-certified igniter plug for the PT6A engine.2 The ability to relight an engine in flight is a non-negotiable safety function. Using non-certified or alternative parts introduces unacceptable risks, including incorrect spark characteristics, inadequate fouling resistance, or material failure in the extreme turbine environment. This can lead to a failed start, or worse, the inability to relight the engine after a flameout. The OEM part guarantees the correct materials, dielectric properties, and semi-conductor design required to function perfectly with the P&WC-specified exciter system.

The operational superiority of the 3032096 igniter is rooted in the physics of its surface-gap semi-conductor firing tip. Unlike a traditional air-gap plug that relies on a high-voltage, low-current spark to jump a gap, this igniter is designed for a high-energy, capacitor-discharge system. When the exciter box dumps its stored energy (typically 3-12 joules) as a very high-current, short-duration pulse, the spark path propagates across the face of the semi-conductor pellet. This massive, high-temperature plasma discharge physically vaporizes, or ablates, microscopic layers of carbon, fuel, and other contaminants that have deposited on the tip. This "self-cleaning" action is far more effective at clearing fouling than the comparatively weak spark of an air-gap plug. This ensures that a robust, high-temperature ignition kernel can be reliably formed, even in the fuel-rich, low-pressure, high-airflow conditions encountered during an in-flight relight attempt.

Note: This is a flight-critical engine component and part of an extremely high-voltage system. Service life is limited and must be tracked; it must be replaced as specified in the engine maintenance manual. A new igniter gasket (P&WC P/N 3017452) MUST be used for every installation. The igniter plug must be torqued to the precise value specified in the maintenance manual to ensure a proper gas seal and thermal transfer. All maintenance must be performed by a certified A&P/IA mechanic in strict accordance with the P&WC maintenance manual.

Documentation

No public-facing OEM or regulatory documentation was located for this specific part. All technical data, service life information, and installation procedures must be sourced from the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A series engine maintenance and parts manuals.