Shame on lycoming and continental

[DaV8or]

Our engines could be much better. It's just Lycoming and Continental are terrified of the inevitable lawsuit. You see, they BTDT. Rotax hasn't had the ever livin' poop sued out of them yet. Give it time. I think this is why Rotax is taking baby steps into the certified market with no plans for HO motors.

[danb35]

Quote: DaV8or

Our engines could be much better.

[AndyFromCB]

Quote: danb35

I believe they could, but not in terms of efficiency.  There's no particular technical reason that we can't have electronic engine management, and there's even at least one aircraft electronic ignition system out there (the P-Mag) that is self-powering.  Such a system could certainly do away with problems of hot or cold starts, and adjust mixture or timing as appropriate for the operating conditions.

Still, though, the best efficiency I know of in the auto world isn't much, if any, better than what's on the charts for the 1940s tech we fly behind.  Higher compression, EFI, EI, and all, it doesn't seem to get a lot better for a gasoline engine.  Diesel could, but there are other tradeoffs there.

[Jerry 5TJ]

I believe the lack of new engine development has to do with volume.  Not cubic inch displacement, but sales volume. 

The prospect of selling a few dozen engines per STC makes it unattractive for an engine manufacturer to invest, tool up and make many changes.  Tort liability is secondary to the analysis.  There just is not much market out there for piston airplane engines. 

Maybe when 100LL goes away the manufacturers will be convinced sales support a new engine.   I'm ready to buy a 21st century replacement for the O-360-A1D in the "C."   I won't be happy to pay $50K for it, but I bet that's what it will cost. 

  

 

 

[jetdriven]

A new O-360-A1D is already 37K.   A suitable replacement might be north of 60-70K, like those Centurion 2.0S engines, which are flat-rated to 155 HP.  They also have a 1200 HR TBO.

[aviatoreb]

Quote: jetdriven

A new O-360-A1D is already 37K.   A suitable replacement might be north of 60-70K, like those Centurion 2.0S engines, which are flat-rated to 155 HP.  They also have a 1200 HR TBO.

[Jerry 5TJ]

Quote: jetdriven

A new O-360-A1D is already 37K.   A suitable replacement might be north of 60-70K, like those Centurion 2.0S engines, which are flat-rated to 155 HP.  They also have a 1200 HR TBO.