turboprop engine development

This looks very interesting. Same turbine core that Sonex is playing with for the SubSonex jet. The company actually has some history too.

http://www.pbsvb.cz/dlt_motor_tp100.php

240 HP, 121 pounds, looks like about 30+ gal/hr though
RV-8T?

Fuel burn

Looked at the small 250 hp turbines for the 10. Fuel burn (and initial cost) are the big issues with turbines - especially at low altitudes.
And when you have limited fuel capacity, it becomes even more of a pipe dream (at least for me).
Bill

How about PRICE?

Not mentioned once on the website that I noticed. This powerplant will probably cost more than the rest of your airplane altogether. Flights would also be short with that (Honest) fuel burn. At least they didn't try to say it would burn less than the standard lyc for the same HP!
Bill

Ok, I clicked through the pages an pamphlets on the site and a few other places, and I'm not finding fuel burn nor price info.

Do you have a link?

breister said:

Ok, I clicked through the pages an pamphlets on the site and a few other places, and I'm not finding fuel burn nor price info.

Do you have a link?

Click to expand...

I used the fuel burn numbers from the TJ100A core:
http://www.pbsvb.cz/dlt_motor_tj100.php
I saw a $60,000 number for the TJ100A somewhere.

Turbine prices

fl-mike said:

I saw a $60,000 number for the TJ100A somewhere.

Click to expand...

The turboprop version is much more complex because of the gearbox and prop controls. I would be very surprised if the price came in under $150,000 new. The Walter engine used on the Lancair Prop Jet is $240,000. The prop and governor are an additional $30,000. The Walter is 700+ horsepower, but sadly price doesn't drop proportionately with the horsepower. Most of the components are just as complex regardless of the engine output.


John Clark ATP, CFI
FAA FAAST Team Member
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

Small turbines make sense when you need the powerplant to be very small and light, e.g., sustainer engine for a glider. Small turbofans are, theoretically anyway, well suited to such applications - fuel consumption isn't as important since it doesn't run for long, weight and space are important, etc. We have one of the first gliders with a turbojet sustainer (i.e., not self-launching) in the US in our club (HpH 304S), but I haven't seen it flying yet. Will post photos when I see it (probably in the spring).

TODR