..Oops sorry there was a Beaver on floats in today's episode of MacGuyver on Spike TV. As I was saying...

I think modern diesel technology is neat. These new fangled aviation diesels run on Jet A and love constant power settings. I read an article about a 172 Skyhawk retrofit, and looked it up. Check this out:

http://www.centurion-engines.com/c17/c17_retro.htm

Only 135 HP but it is turbocharged and has something like 17% more static power output that an O-320 which is 160 HP, due to the gear reduction to the prop.

If I was going to think about running Jet A, I think I'd rather put it in this:



Innodyne Turbine Takeoff

Innodyne Products Page

Imagine what this thing could do on the front of a Supercub, Mountain Goat, or Sportsman 2+2...or for that matter, my M-4!

Turbines are awesome, but:
1) aviation turbines are way spendy. I believe that the turbine conversion for a C-210 ("silver eagle") or Bonanza is a couple hundred thousand.
2) turbines seem to burn a lot of fuel per horsepower.
A few years ago, there was a Luscombe running around with a small turbine hung on the nose. I believe it was about 150 shaft HP, but I recall that it burned about 15-20 gph. Think I'd rather stick to a 320 Lyc.
I notice that even in the experimental arena, there are very very few turbine powered 2 to 6 place aircraft.

Eric

Strata, we're looking for...umm I dunno what we're looking for here. Most pilots would love to have the reliability of a turbine, but like Eric said, they just burn too much juice for the amount of horsepower they put out in the small packages. Different story in say, a Pilatus Porter or Caravan.

I just think it's interesting to see the direction that piston engine manufacturers are headed. Bombardier has a new 300 HP FADEC popper too. I'm not sure what Continental and Lyc are doing.

A lot of the 170s I'm looking at have nearly are nearly at TBO. If it weren't for the expensive STC process, I would think a non standard engine like the Thielert would be a good choice. Too bad it's like $60,000 for the conversion. Check out that story in the new AOPA pilot. I just like that people are thinking differently. Maybe someday a hybrid to capture your windmilling prop energy???? *Z

The Innodyne turbine is around $30K for the 205hp version. Starting to sound almost affordable if you ask me. Burns about 15gph.

Strata Rocketeer wrote:The Innodyne turbine is around $30K for the 205hp version. Starting to sound almost affordable if you ask me. Burns about 15gph.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I'm getting ready to spend at least 24K on a factory O-470 U on my Cessna 180. And that is for 230 horse power, 50 year old technology and a 2000 hour TBO. And to add insult to injury it's only gonna burn 15/hr. The turbines are getting 5000 hour TBO's and make full power, not 75%, all the way up to the bozo-sphere. I do alot of 11K to 12K feet cross countries and a little turbine would be cool.

N4653B wrote: The turbines are getting 5000 hour TBO's and make full power, not 75%, all the way up to the bozo-sphere. I do alot of 11K to 12K feet cross countries and a little turbine would be cool.

Exactly! I really like the idea of getting full power out of my motor when taking off out of a thousand foot strip at 8000'. Plus that turbine just sounds cool!

I think if I was going to take the big step to an Innodyne turbine I'd probably put it on an experimental airframe like the Smith Cub, Mountain Goat, or Sportsman 2+2.

Innodyne does make a 255hp version that would work very well on a Cessna 180 airframe swinging a three bladed 84" MT prop; though going experimental would really hurt the value of a Cessna 180.

Day dreamin....

Yeah, a Sportsman 2+2 with a 255hp turbine would have a bit of giddyup.

I was really wishing I had something with some sort of turbine technology this weekend on my XC to Monterey. I took off from Reno at 12:45pm @ 95 degrees F. I expected poor performance, and that's what I got. With myself, Erin, 180 lbs of fuel, and 40 lbs of bags, we were making 200-300 fpm. Luckily I found a nice lift band NW of town headed for Verdi pass, where I would begin the Sierra crossing. I don't like to do it at less than 10,500, and even then I follow the freeway. I'm not sure if it was a thermal or a bit of ridge lift, but I circled back into it and rode that sucker from 5,500 to 8,500 at about 1200 fpm. From there I departed on course and climbed the rest of the way up to 10,5 at a measely 300 fpm. Would be so nice to have a compressor or intercooler making nice thick air.

z

Resuscitating an old post here... I was always interested in Innodyn turbines and called them several times..it was always the same answer, more or less "we're waiting for someone to invest"... I see the website doesnt exist anymore... does anyone know what happened to them or better, if they are going to pursue the small aircraft turbine market or if anyone else has... I still want one of those in my Tundra!

Cheers, J-M

They are out of business but there is an Innodyn discussion on an RV thread that talks a little about what happened, it also mentions another small turbine called Velka. I couldn't handle the fuel bill.
Innodyn turbo discussion: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/a ... 63228.html

Velka: http://www.desertaerospace.com/turbines.html

Backcountry Tundra wrote:Resuscitating an old post here...

Really dredging the bottom here.

Funny to read one's self from from that long ago... but yeah I still want that turbo diesel. When the world oil market collapses we can build impeller presses and run our Tundras on olive oil.

I never looked back at these older posts till now. Gosh Zane, in your august 4, '05 post you refer to an "Erin". Would this be the same Erin you just married?

I know you are looking at building a new plane but I sure hope you don't have to wait that long to fly it.

dirtstrip wrote:I never looked back at these older posts till now. Gosh Zane, in your august 4, '05 post you refer to an "Erin". Would this be the same Erin you just married?

I know you are looking at building a new plane but I sure hope you don't have to wait that long to fly it.

Our wedding is this Sept...7 years after we met. I like to be "really sure" about these things.

I apologize for not having been current on the date. I must have misplaced my invitation. Ain't it funny how a brain fart on my part can ruin a good joke?
Best of luck to both of you if I can't make it.

dirt

I can slow flight that puppy to about 35/40kts and drop off some popsicles or collect all that paper from all the hole punchers in the office and drop a mail bag full of it...let me know if you're interested!! Running the Tundra on Mcdonald's recycled veggie oil would be fantastic...lets sit on this post for another 6 yrs and see what happens then!

Are all diesel engines water cooled? How much does a Dodge Cummins turbo diesel weigh

Are all diesel engines water cooled? How much does a Dodge Cummins turbo diesel weigh

Deutz is a German built air cooled diesel engine...very noisey but good engines. They are used in combines, tractors, industrial machinery.

Winchester 73 wrote:Are all diesel engines water cooled? How much does a Dodge Cummins turbo diesel weigh

I considered a cummins diesel in one of my cj jeeps. I was told it weighed + 1,200 #. I would have had to beef front end up to the extreme, to support weight. An old Mercedes or VW diesel, maybe half the weight...