Pilot Briefing

Alternative-fuel engines take stage

With the price and availability of avgas becoming a concern of late, engines that run on jet fuel are coming closer to certification. One diesel aircraft engine, attached to a Cessna 182, flew to EAA AirVenture in July.

The latest project to enter the scene, however, is a joint effort by Superior Air Parts, of Dallas, and Thielert Aircraft Engines, of Lichtenstein, Germany. The companies announced that Superior will be the exclusive sales representative for Thielert's TAE 110 and TAE 125 piston aircraft engines. The TAE 110 is already certified in Europe.

TAE-series engines feature full authority digital engine control (FADEC), which eliminates the need for a propeller or mixture control and reduces pilot workload. The engines are turbocharged and are claimed to maintain full power up to 12,000 feet.

While both engines are being marketed, Superior is concentrating on the TAE 125 as an ideal replacement engine for airplanes in the 160- to 180-horsepower range, such as the Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28 airframes. Although the TAE 125 develops only 125 hp, its static thrust is claimed to be comparable to that of a 180-hp Lycoming O-360 because of the design's high torque and a three-blade, constant-speed propeller.

At 5,000 feet and a horsepower of 125, Superior claims that the TAE 125 will burn 3.95 gallons per hour while a 160-hp Lycoming O-320 burns 6.8 gallons per hour. The TAE 125 uses often-lower-priced and widely available Jet-A fuel, reducing operating costs by a claimed $9 per hour. If the 3,000-hour TBO for the engines holds true, expect further savings. Overall, Superior claims a 47-percent reduction in operating costs.

Price of the engine is $19,500, which is significantly higher than overhauling an O-320 but comparable to a factory-new Lycoming O-320-E2D with an exchange core. Flyaway cost is claimed to be $33,000, which includes the engine, prop, and conversion kit.

So far, SMA — Societe de Motorisation Aeronautiques — is perhaps the closest
to FAA certification. The company that was created four years ago by Aerospatiale and Renault has already received certification in Europe for its SR-305 230-hp engine that can run on Jet-A. In conjunction with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the engine has been undergoing testing in a Cessna 182 (right). The airplane was easy to spot at Oshkosh by its bulbous air intake on the cowling, but Peter Pierpont of ERAU said that it could be shrunk up to 25 percent. He said they wanted to keep the engine cool for the flight from Florida. The engine features greater efficiency and a longer TBO than current piston aircraft engines. A price for the engine has not been announced. Maule and Cirrus also will be testing the engines in their airplanes.

Other companies developing engines that don't require avgas include DeltaHawk, which is working on a V-4 turbodiesel along with a future line of V-8 and two-cylinder aircraft engines; Zoche Aero-Diesels, a company that has developed a radial diesel engine but doesn't appear to be in a hurry to pursue certification; and Teledyne Continental Motors, which entered an agreement with NASA under the General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program to develop an engine that costs less to own and operate but produces the same power for the weight. — Nathan A. Ferguson and Peter A. Bedell

Cirrus turns the corner

Thanks to a multimillion-dollar funding package, Cirrus Design Corporation can now concentrate on ramping up production and improving the SR20 and SR22 aircraft lines without being mired in debt. The deal was approved by the shareholders in August. Existing management will be left in place.

"We'll do all the things we've been promising to do for ages," said company spokesman Ian Bentley. The transaction gave Crescent Capital, an Atlanta-based investment company, 61 percent interest in Cirrus and eliminated the aircraft company's debt. In exchange, Cirrus received $83 million in new equity and a $17 million credit line from the bank. Crescent Capital is the U.S. arm of the First Islamic Investment Bank of Bahrain. It has made investments in other U.S. companies that it believes are poised for growth. When asked why the bank required such a large percentage of the stock, Bentley said that it wanted some control over its investment.

For Cirrus buyers, Bentley said the deal means the company will be more stable. Cirrus is currently producing one airplane a day, with plans to double the rate early next year. Once Cirrus opens a new completion and sales center in the spring, Bentley said the plan is to increase production to three aircraft a day by late 2002. The company has an order backlog of 600 aircraft.

Cirrus plans to create a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) version of the SR22 and introduce new options for both models. There are also discussions about creating new aircraft, although Bentley declined to be specific. "You haven't seen anything yet," he said.

PILOT HEADLINERS

Recent news from AOPA's weekly e-mail newsletter.

Jury awards $480 million in Cessna suit

A Florida jury awarded a record $480 million to three people hurt in the crash of a Cessna 185 in 1989. The award — $80 million in compensatory and $400 million in punitive damages — is the largest in aviation history. Cessna is planning to appeal.

Fossett forced down by weather

Global adventurer Steve Fossett fell short once again in his quest to become the first solo balloonist to fly around the world. Because of bad weather Fossett landed the Solo Spirit on August 17 near the Brazilian city of Bage, 13 days after his launch from Australia.

Solaris introduces composite line

An American company has introduced a line of already FAA-certified composite aircraft after it bought the type and production certificates from a German company. Solaris Aviation Inc., of Parkland, Florida, is manufacturing the Sigma line of retractable-gear aircraft in the 230-to-310-horsepower range. Solaris was established in 1999 after it bought the assets, molds, and tooling from Ruschmeyer Aircraft GmbH.

Luscombe gears up for production

Luscombe Aircraft Corporation has begun hiring managers for its production of the 185-hp Luscombe 11-E tricycle-gear aircraft at its 125,000-square-foot facility in Altus, Oklahoma.

Vin Fiz flies again

The organization Inventing Flight: Dayton 2003 has completed a flying replica of the Vin Fiz, a Wright brothers' 1911 Model EX, which flew for the first time in June. The replica was built and flown by Dana Smith, an aeronautical engineer.

Lycoming offers new warranty

Lycoming now offers a two-year warranty on new reciprocating aircraft engine cylinders (except for the O-235 series). The warranty was made possible by a new process — several years in development — that eliminates hairline cracks caused by caustic stress corrosion during manufacturing. A patent is pending for the new chemical process.

To sign up for the free AOPA ePilot newsletter or to view the archive, see AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/epilot/).

FAA's new radios could affect GA

The FAA has begun development of a Next Generation Communications system that could eventually require general aviation pilots to buy new radios, perhaps in 10 to 15 years.

The main issue for now is the aging radios in use at 21 air route traffic control centers (ARTCCs) that have become increasingly difficult to maintain. The FAA has given a $20.5 million contract to ITT Industries, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, for copies of a new radio called the CAVU 2100. (CAVU was chosen for its standard meaning of "ceiling and visibility unlimited.") The CAVU 2100 will work with today's older radios, and will also be compatible with two options being considered for the future. Starting in 2003, the radios will be installed at the nation's 21 ARTCCs and associated remote transmitter locations.

The first option is one now used in Europe that splits frequencies into 12 channels. It is called the 8.33 system because channels are separated by 8.33 kilohertz compared to the 25-kHz spacing in use today. The CAVU 2100 will be able to operate on this system.

The second option is to use VHF Datalink Mode 3, or VDL-3, which allows both voice and data transmissions. This data could include text messages from air traffic controllers. CAVU will also have this capability.

"The new radios will essentially have three knobs, one for analog [today's system], one for the 8.33-kHz system, and one for digital [VDL-3]," said Steve Zaidman, FAA associate administrator for research and development. Either the 8.33 or VDL-3 system will first be used to control en route traffic flying at higher altitudes. No decision has been made about future radio specifications for lower altitudes where most GA aircraft operate.

The FAA would prefer to move toward the digital system."Either way, this is the first step toward a planned change in communication radios that will eventually affect all aircraft," said Randy Kenagy, AOPA director of advanced technology. "Although most general aviation pilots won't be expected to reequip until sometime past 2010, AOPA is closely monitoring frequency use and allocations to ensure that the FAA maximizes frequencies before requiring aircraft owners to purchase new radios that would provide little, if any, new benefits."

The FAA's Jim Eck, team leader for air-to-ground communications, suggests that GA pilots may not need to worry about reequipping until 2015. While the radios ordered this year will continue to be capable of operating in today's analog mode, there will come a point when the frequencies are so saturated that the FAA will be forced to switch them to the 8.33 kHz system or the digital system. Before that decision is made, Eck stressed, GA will be consulted. — Alton K. Marsh

A tale of two jets

Within the same week two new jets from competing companies took to the Kansas skies. From Raytheon Aircraft there was the Hawker Horizon and from Bombardier Aerospace the Continental, two jets aimed at the super-midsize business jet category.

First off was the Horizon with chief test pilot Tom Carr at the controls, from Wichita's Beech Field on August 11. "The aircraft was everything we expected and more," he said after the two-and-a-half-hour mission. "Controls were very responsive and predictable. We're ready to go up again."

Carr flew Raytheon Aircraft's largest airplane to 10,500 feet and operated at speeds up to 225 knots. An NBAA IFR range of 3,100 nm at Mach 0.82 is guaranteed for the Horizon, promising the ability to cross the United States nonstop against almost any wind. A maximum range of 3,400 nm provides transatlantic capability.

The Horizon's fuselage is made in three sections using advanced composite technology that was used on the recently certified Premier I. Four aircraft will be involved in the certification tests, which Raytheon expects to wrap up in 2003. So far, the company has a backlog of 150 orders.

Not to be outdone by Raytheon, Bombardier's Continental, flown by test pilots Jim Dwyer and Ed Grabman, leaped from the tarmac across town at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport on August 14. During its two-hour maiden flight it reached an altitude of 17,500 feet and a speed of 210 knots. "The aircraft performed extremely well throughout the entire flight, exhibiting both solid performance and mature systems reliability," Dwyer said. Both pilots were said to have been well prepared for the flight after accumulating more than 100 hours in the company's flight simulator.

Bombardier will now begin a rigorous flight-test program involving five fully equipped aircraft scheduled to accumulate more than 1,500 hours. Test pilots will take the airplane to 45,000 feet and well beyond its Mach 0.83 maximum operating speed. So far, the company has 115 orders for the jet.

Helios climbs to 96,500 feet above Hawaii

A remotely piloted solar-powered flying wing set an altitude record above the Hawaiian island of Kauai on August 13. Engineers from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and AeroVironment Inc., builders of the 247-foot wing, surpassed the previous record for an aircraft of 85,068 feet set by an SR-71.

The record of slightly more than 96,500 feet is higher than any nonrocket-powered aircraft has climbed and sustained flight. Helios is powered by 14 2-hp electric motors, each one driving a propeller. The motors are powered by 65,000 solar cells generating a total of 35 kilowatts of electricity. The Helios prototype could point the way to a fleet of remotely piloted aircraft capable of sustained high-altitude flight for months at a time. They could serve as efficient communications relay platforms and environmental monitoring stations.

Developed under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, the unique craft will next demonstrate flight above 50,000 feet for at least four days, with the aid of a regenerative fuel cell-based energy storage system now in development. Both of these missions will be powered by electricity derived from nonpolluting solar energy. — AKM

Pilot to re-create Earhart flight

At press time, Carlene Mendieta was planning to depart September 5 on her mission to re-create Amelia Earhart's record-setting 1928 flight across America in a fully restored Avro Avian biplane. The 47-year-old California periodontist was to take off from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, and fly to California, visiting the same cities Earhart did. Mendieta will make the 5,500-mile round trip at an average airspeed of 71 knots. She will also be replicating Earhart's clothing and eating the same meals. "I'm thrilled to be tracing Amelia's flight across America and along the way, sharing the story of a remarkable woman who deserves to be remembered for her life, not just her disappearance," she said. To follow the flight, see the Web site ( www.ameliaflight.com).

Members in the news

Dr. Lawrence O. Gahagan, AOPA 586779, a Dallas eye doctor, has been elected president of the International Association of Physician Pilots. He is an instrument-rated commercial pilot with single-engine land and sea, multiengine land, and glider ratings. He flies a Beech A36 Bonanza and has accumulated 3,200 total flight hours.

Judy Cadmus, AOPA 1035564, has formed Avionics Training Unlimited Inc. She provides flight and ground training on avionics systems including Garmin GPS receivers, autopilots, and Sandel's EHSI, as well as flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, and advanced training. She also conducts Garmin GNS 430 weekend workshops. She is a Master CFI located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. For more information, call 610/405-5243 or visit the Web site ( www.avtrainingunlimited.com).

Stephen Coonts, AOPA 1056593, author of Flight of the Intruder, Cannibal Queen, and eight other best-selling books, has completed a new action adventure called America based on serial action character Jake Grafton. In Grafton's latest exploits, terrorists commandeer America's newest nuclear submarine, and only Grafton can stop them. But he has to find the sub first. Published by St. Martin's Press, the novel is available in most bookstores. Coonts said he is working on another Jake Grafton story to be completed early next year. Another new book, Saucer, is completed and will be released in March. The novel is, as the title implies, about flying saucers. During a book signing in Arlington, Virginia, Coonts said he considers the nonfiction Cannibal Queen to be among his best works.

Glynna Brown, AOPA 1364289, has been elected chairperson of the Middlesboro-Bell County Airport Board in Kentucky. She received her pilot certificate in 1998 and owns a Cessna 150. Rick W. Carl, AOPA 1179281, owner of Ascension Photo in Lighthouse, Florida, aided Boca Raton, Florida, air traffic controllers in locating a twin-engine Piper aircraft that crashed on a highway. Although the aircraft struck oncoming vehicles and was destroyed, no one was hurt in the July 12 incident. Carl, already flying in the area to take aerial photographs, orbited until fire and rescue vehicles arrived.