Cessna Anticipates AvGas Demise

Matt Whiting wrote:

Yes, this may be the case, however the TBR has to get closer to 4,000
hours than to 2,400. Most auto and truck diesels will last at least
twice as long as similar size gas engines, so with Lycs and Contis
lasting 2,000 hours fairly routinely, the Thielert needs to at least
double that ... unless the replacement cost is equivalent to an overhaul
of a Lyc or Conti.

According to http://www.centurion-engines.com/ it's currently 24,445
Euros for a replacement engine. Count in the total fuel and maintenance
cost over the life span and do the math.

Stefan wrote:

It's geared, so a prop strike doesn't affect the engine.


A geared engine doesn't eliminate, or even appreciably affect, the
results of a prop strike. You think the Cessna 175's engine is immune
from prop strike damage? Hell, even the turbine 210, whose prop isn't
even physically connected to the engine has prop strike issues. A
friend of mine has one and his pilot geared it up last year.


It's fully FADEC controlled, so always best prop pitch to the chosen
power setting.

Does it have an infinite range of prop speeds or is it like the Cirrus
that lets the pilot have two prop speeds?

Newps wrote:

It's geared, so a prop strike doesn't affect the engine.

A geared engine doesn't eliminate, or even appreciably affect, the
results of a prop strike.

From the FAQ:

4. What happens if I have a prop strike?

In case of prop strike, a costly shock-loading inspection of the engine
is not necessary. Only the propeller needs a repair and the gearbox has
to be inspected. The CENTURION 1.7 has a combined system of torsional
vibration damper and a safety clutch. It decouples the propeller from
the core engine.

It's fully FADEC controlled, so always best prop pitch to the chosen
power setting.

Does it have an infinite range of prop speeds or is it like the Cirrus
that lets the pilot have two prop speeds?

http://www.centurion-engines.com/

Stefan wrote:
Larry Dighera wrote:

Re ringing and doing valves are things that an air cooled engine may
need often, but a diesel will probably not need until it is replaced.

So the diesel is liquid cooled?

http://www.centurion-engines.com/

It's liquid cooled, so no discussion about shock cooling anymore.

So we prevent a problem that isn't really a problem.


It's fully FADEC controlled, so no overheating possible.

Automobile engines have been digitally controlled for two decades and
they still can overheat.


It's geared, so a prop strike doesn't affect the engine.

The engine still stops suddenly unless the gearbox fails or is designed
to fail before any significant acceleration is transferred to the engine.


It's fully FADEC controlled, so always best prop pitch to the chosen
power setting.

Yes, that is a nice advantage.

Matt

On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 00:47:45 +0200, Stefan
wrote in :

It's fully FADEC controlled, so no overheating possible.

Except in the case of a leak in the coolant system.

In addition to the cooling system, the gearing adds weight,
complexity, and additional failure points, not to mention the
necessity for electric power for the FADEC system.

Don't get me wrong; it may be far superior to the IO-360 with regard
to fuel efficiency and performance at altitude due to the turbo, but I
think we'll have to monitor the use of this engine, and see how it
performs in service over time before drawing any hard and fast
conclusions.

On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 00:55:49 +0200, Stefan
wrote in :

According to http://www.centurion-engines.com/ it's currently 24,445
Euros for a replacement engine. Count in the total fuel and maintenance
cost over the life span and do the math.

And don't fail to factor in the US$1.4138 to the euro exchange rate.

On Sat, 06 Oct 2007 23:29:31 GMT, Matt Whiting
wrote in :


It's fully FADEC controlled, so always best prop pitch to the chosen
power setting.

Yes, that is a nice advantage.

What powers the FADEC in the event of an electrical system failure?

Larry Dighera schrieb:

It's fully FADEC controlled, so always best prop pitch to the chosen
power setting.
Yes, that is a nice advantage.

What powers the FADEC in the event of an electrical system failure?

No idea about the Thielert, but the FADEC controlled engine I often fly
just falls back to some default settings. I mean, it had been if it ever
had failed.

Larry Dighera wrote:

In addition to the cooling system, the gearing adds weight,

According to Thielert, the complete installation (engine, prop,
gearbox...) weights 66 pounds more than the Lyoming installation. I
guess after about 2 hours of flight this should break even with the
reduced fuel burn.

complexity, and additional failure points,

My current car is much more complex and has many more failure points
than the car I owned 30 years ago. Yet I have much less trouble with it.
(Ok, 30 years ago, I considered such trouble to be fun. Ever changed a
piston on the sidewalk and in the rain? But that's an entirely different
story.)

Stefan wrote in news:9b58a$470825c7$d9a271ba
:

Larry Dighera schrieb:

It's fully FADEC controlled, so always best prop pitch to the chosen
power setting.
Yes, that is a nice advantage.

What powers the FADEC in the event of an electrical system failure?

No idea about the Thielert, but the FADEC controlled engine I often fly
just falls back to some default settings. I mean, it had been if it ever
had failed.


This is what happens


http://www.megginson.com/blogs/lahso...ngine-failure/



Bertie