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Superior engine

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Pat Stewart

Well Known Member
Can anyone shed some light on a group of Superior 0360 engines originally owned by the government however never used 0 time engines that were later reconditioned and sold again by Superior. This would have been several years ago. I have an opportunity to purchase an engine that I have been told came from this group.

Thanks
 
SP 0-360

I'd be curious to know.how much are the sellers asking for this engine? Do any accessories come with it.How was this engine stored is there any rust inside?
I'd also love to hear this story.Thanks
RHill
 
What is the government flying that can use an O-360? Military 172's used a 210 hp engine, IIRC.

There was a trainer a few years back (10?) That used an IO-540 but they and their engines werev destroyed after a few accidents in the trainer.
 
My guess is also drones, it is also a solid crank engine so fixed pitch. My understanding is this was several years ago. This engine has been flying on an RV and is being advertised that is was a zero time engine, never flown by the government but sold back to Superior who then tore them down and reassembled and sold as zero time engines. All sounds possible, just curious if there is any more information available. I am interested in purchase just wanted to insure this engine is not devalued because of its history. I was hoping someone from Superior would jump into this thread and clarify.
 
N941WR said:
What is the government flying that can use an O-360? Military 172's used a 210 hp engine, IIRC.

There was a trainer a few years back (10?) That used an IO-540 but they and their engines werev destroyed after a few accidents in the trainer.
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The Air Force Academy has used all kinds of different airplanes. 180HP 172's, DA40's, currently Cirrus SR20's I believe. I'd imagine those could be for any of those. I doubt many drones were -360 powered, most seemed to get Rotax and Thelharts for the long endurance. Kinda hard to run a drone without FADEC as well.
 
I don't know if they used o360's but the government used a whole lot of 4 cyl aircraft engines for ground power units, they are some here at Chennault and used on tanker gpu's
Bird
 
Last edited:
bird said:
I don't know if they used o360's but the government used a whole lot of 4 cyl aircraft engines for ground power units, they are some here at Chennault and used on tanker gpu's
Bird
Click to expand...

Those were all (?) versions of the O-290's and I can't imagine they built any more after Lycoming discontinued that engine in the late fifties or converted everything to diesel in the 70's (?).
 
USAFA

In the late 90's, the Air Force's flight screening trainer was the T-3 Slingsby Firefly. I'm pretty sure those had 360's. Three fatal crashes at the Air Force Academy ended the use of those aircraft, even though only one was engine related.
 
Gregmarlow said:
In the late 90's, the Air Force's flight screening trainer was the T-3 Slingsby Firefly. I'm pretty sure those had 360's. Three fatal crashes at the Air Force Academy ended the use of those aircraft, even though only one was engine related.
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I remember that it caused a fuss at that time. Many home builders would have bought the engines, but the word was that they were all scrapped, repeated in this wiki clip -

Although operated successfully in the United Kingdom and Canada, the program would end in the United States because of a fatal crash following an engine failure. The type was meant to not only replace the Cessna T-41 introductory trainer, but meet the Enhanced Flight Screening Program (EFSP) requirements. The US Air Force has no replacement for this type as it no longer provides training to non-fliers. The aircraft were eventually declared in excess of need in the early 2000s and disposed of by scrapping in 2006.

I think the engines were AEIO 540s though.
 
Hi,

Does anyone knows Superior History to tell? I understand that they were closed for some time. Someone has said Lycoming bought them to eliminate competition as they did a better cheaper product. And USA anti-trust law in benefit of competition applied the law and reverted the buy-out restoring the company operational.

Is that it? Trying to raise all the info and comments possible on those engines, they seem a very nice option slightest better performance (power and comsumption - wise).

To little voters on the pool (link to thread bellow) on which is better...

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=118919
 
O-360 in "drones"?

Captain_John said:
Bill, Just a guess... drones?

:confused: CJ
Click to expand...

From everything I've read, our "Predator" UAS's (if that is still the term presently in vogue), all use ROTAX engines. I've read that there are a few companies working on a Diesel type replacement to the ROTAX so they can use a heavier fuel as they have in larger quantities in theater...

Doug
 
I build them all and in recent months I have been very impressed with the organization and detail that Superior Airparts includes with their engine kits. I found that apples for apples they have come a long way to getting back on track in the last few years.
 
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