Owners of Cessna Cardinals, Piper Arrows, and certain Mooney models can look for a slight bump in power with the installation of a new Lycoming IO-390 engine. Lycoming certified the new higher horsepower replacement engine in June. It has already received a supplemental type certificate (STC) to install the 210-hp engine in the Cardinals, replacing the traditional IO-360. Meanwhile, Lycoming is pursuing an STC for the Mooney M20 series of aircraft and is considering a similar program for the Piper Arrow.
Since announcing the IO-390 last year at AirVenture, the company has already delivered 175 engines to the Experimental market. The IO-390 weighs between 312 and 315 pounds while delivering 210 hp at 2,700 rpm but fitting in the same footprint as the 200-hp IO-360.
Lycoming is scheduled to begin ground, taxi, and flight testing of the production version of its IO-233-LSA engine for the light sport aviation segment immediately after AirVenture. Also announced at last year’s AirVenture, the 233-LSA engine is expected to have an output of 116 hp. Noncertified engines are expected to begin shipping in late 2009 with certified versions shipping in early 2010.
