Superior Air Parts engines to power V-Twin kitplane

Velocity Aircraft of Sebastian, Fla., will offer builders of its pusher prop and canard-equipped V-Twin kitplane a choice of 160-horsepower or 180-hp engines by Superior Air Parts for their aircraft, the two companies said in a news release.

John Abraham, Velocity’s chief pilot, said experience gained by builders and pilots of Velocity’s single-engine kitplane models instilled confidence about Superior’s powerplants, “and we felt like their performance, reliability and affordability made them the ideal match for the V-Twin.”

Builders of the V-Twin can select either Superior’s 160-hp XP 320 or 180-hp XP 360 engines for their aircraft. Having two of the company’s engine models chosen to power the V-Twin “is a huge accomplishment for us,” said Glen Golden, Superior’s vice president of sales and marketing.

AOPA, in an August 2012 article and accompanying video, reported on the revolutionary aircraft’s 10-year design history and sampled its handling and aerodynamic characteristics.

With the 160-hp injected XP-320 engines with electronic ignition as standard equipment, the V-Twin, operating at 60 percent economy cruise and lean-of-peak settings, delivered a fuel burn of 6 gph per engine, Velocity said. Choosing speed over economy, the V-Twin, at 75 percent power and running lean-of-peak, burned eight gph “and you’re seeing 180 knots,” Abraham said.

Velocity is working with an owner who is building the first V-Twin to fly with the more powerful 180-hp engines, he said.

With either choice of engine, the V-Twin can run on 100-octane low lead avgas or 91-octane auto gasoline, said Golden. The engines are not approved for use with auto fuels blended with ethanol or gasohol.

Velocity Aircraft offers four other aircraft models, all single-engine aircraft.

Superior Air Parts, a subsidiary of Superior Aviation Beijing, manufactures FAA-approved aftermarket replacement parts for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engines. It also manufactures the FAA-certified Vantage engine and the XP engine family for experimental and sport aircraft builders.