Continental Motors announced FAA certification of its IO-360-AF six-cylinder engine that can be operated with 100LL avgas or unleaded 91UL fuel.
Germany’s Flight Design GmbH will take delivery of the first certified engine in the second quarter of 2015, Continental said in a news release, describing the powerplant—the lightest of its six-cylinder aircraft engines—as “a perfect solution for the new Flight Design C4 carbon, four-seat aircraft.”
The IO-360-AF family of engines provides a maximum power output of 195 horsepower at 2800 rpm. It will be de-rated to 180-hp and 2550 rpm for the C4. The engine has a 2,200-hour time between overhauls.
The FAA certified the IO-360-AF (the AF stands for alternative fuels) engine in January. The engine should benefit aircraft operators in "certain markets where 100LL avgas is relatively expensive and with the expanding availability of 91UL," Continental said.
"Our engineering team has worked diligently to move the IO-360-AF from opportunity to reality; and we are very excited to have it certified, meeting the needs of our customers," said Rhett Ross, a vice president of Continental’s parent company AVIC International, and director of its Continental Motors Group. Continental is based in Mobile, Alabama, and Hong Kong.
Flight Design CEO Matthias Betsch joined Continental in welcoming the certification of the engine, saying the milestone “brings us another step closer to realizing our vision” for the aircraft.
