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Thread: GA Turboprop

  1. #71

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    I looked up a little on this Czech engine, TP-100, that Diemech Turbine Solutions will offer. It will be about $100k.. or probably a little more, like $125k. Does this price make this engine attractive as a piston substitute, or is it still too expensive?

  2. #72
    Auburntsts's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kjensen View Post
    I looked up a little on this Czech engine, TP-100, that Diemech Turbine Solutions will offer. It will be about $100k.. or probably a little more, like $125k. Does this price make this engine attractive as a piston substitute, or is it still too expensive?
    Not in my book -- still costs too much. That engine costs twice as much as a brand new Lycoming IO-540 (fuel injected, 260-300HP, 6 cyl) and 3 times the cost of a good mid-time one.
    Last edited by Auburntsts; 04-17-2012 at 06:37 PM.
    Todd “I drink and know things” Stovall
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  3. #73
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    Nope. Not in my book. Until it gets to be equal to or less than the cost of the piston alternative, it's not economically justifiable to replace a piston engine with a turbine engine that is of equal power.

    BTW, how's your paper coming along?
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  4. #74

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    Quote Originally Posted by kjensen View Post
    I looked up a little on this Czech engine, TP-100, that Diemech Turbine Solutions will offer. It will be about $100k.. or probably a little more, like $125k. Does this price make this engine attractive as a piston substitute, or is it still too expensive?
    Since it can only be installed in homebuilts, it won't get past the curiosity stage. I have doubts the engine can be certificated without doubling the current advertised price.

  5. #75

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    Quote Originally Posted by kjensen View Post
    I looked up a little on this Czech engine, TP-100, that Diemech Turbine Solutions will offer. It will be about $100k.. or probably a little more, like $125k. Does this price make this engine attractive as a piston substitute, or is it still too expensive?
    Your "a little more" delta of $125k minus $100k = $25k is what a lot of us want to pay no more than for an engine, period. If you believe $25k is just "a little more," then you're living on a different plane of existence than most of us and this is the wrong place to look for favorable opinions.
    Bill

  6. #76
    Mike Switzer's Avatar
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    While things may change by the time I get my plane ready for an engine, the engine I currently plan to use will cost between $10,000 - $15,000 max (supercharged aluminum small block Ford with all the options)

    All the bells & whistles, any US (normally aspirated) aluminum small block V8 will cost less than $10,000, a big block might hit $15,000 (these are numbers for aluminum blocks & heads, if you don't care about weight it will be cheaper)

    If you want to spend more money use a "real" aircraft engine, any turbine or diesel will cost more than that

  7. #77
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Your "a little more" delta of $125k minus $100k = $25k is what a lot of us want to pay no more than for an engine, period. If you believe $25k is just "a little more," then you're living on a different plane of existence than most of us and this is the wrong place to look for favorable opinions.
    That was my thought too. If I'm shelling out $125K for an engine, that's not what I'm going for.

    All the bells & whistles, any US (normally aspirated) aluminum small block V8 will cost less than $10,000, a big block might hit $15,000 (these are numbers for aluminum blocks & heads, if you don't care about weight it will be cheaper)
    Just out of curiosity what does one of the big blocks weigh? What's the difference in weight between the aluminum blocks and heads vs the other option (I'm assuming some form of steel)?
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  8. #78
    Mike Switzer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by steveinindy View Post
    Just out of curiosity what does one of the big blocks weigh? What's the difference in weight between the aluminum blocks and heads vs the other option (I'm assuming some form of steel)?
    I don't remember for a big block off the top of my head, I will try to look it up later when I have time - but for a Ford 302 the bare aluminum block is 90 - 110 lb depending on which one you buy, the cast iron block is around 200lb. Going of memory here, but I believe a 289 / 302 with aluminum block & heads comes in around 400lb - I am using 500lb for my preliminary W&B calculations to account for accessories, prop, etc.

    I know some of the cast iron big block engines came in around 700lb, aluminum block & heads would make them quite a bit lighter.

    Another thing to consider if you are looking at an auto engine, (I don't want to use a big block for both weight & space considerations) but as far as I have been able to find out the Chrysler Hemi (the original big block, not the new one) is the only engine that anyone is still making aluminum aftermarket dual plug heads for, which would allow a redundant ignition setup.

  9. #79
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Going of memory here, but I believe a 289 / 302 with aluminum block & heads comes in around 400lb - I am using 500lb for my preliminary W&B calculations to account for accessories, prop, etc.
    Interesting. I would have thought it was a lot more than that but then again my only experience with one has been looking at it when it was in the front end of a vehicle.. Then again, I'm kind of weird in that I don't even change the oil in our car and have little interest in automotive mechanics, but I have a great desire to build an airplane. Go figure.....
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  10. #80

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill View Post
    Your "a little more" delta of $125k minus $100k = $25k is what a lot of us want to pay no more than for an engine, period. If you believe $25k is just "a little more," then you're living on a different plane of existence than most of us and this is the wrong place to look for favorable opinions.
    I agree with that, should have used different wording. I guess I said "a little" because that delta ($25k) is small compared to the delta between $100k and the price for a new P&W, GE, or RR engine.

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