On 15 Aug 2006 06:42:06 -0700, "Bret Ludwig"
wrote:


Roger wrote:
snip

The Jet A prices will be right up there too.
We might get regulated out of existence, but I doubt the price of gas
will do it as that is the cheapest part of flying.

Most small turbines will burn diesel fuel okay, ag operators do it all
the time. The debut of ULSD will help a lot: most ULSD will be pretty
close to JP-8. K-1 Kero is fine too as long as a little oil is put in
it for the fuel controller.


I do think we'll see a lot of Diesel conversions once they get the HP
up in the 250 to 350 range. I'd even spring for one in the Deb as
it's getting close to major time any way.

How about a turbo charged diesel in the G-III? 350 HP would be just
about right if they/I could shoehorn it in. Problem is that damn turbo
take sup a *lot* of room.

eventaully, or buy a turboprop if they have the money.

Unless you fly in the flight levels you are looking a minimum of 30
gallons per hour. More like 40 or 50. That'd be about $200 an hour
for fuel to run a 4 or 6 place single engine at 10,000 or under where
most of us like to fly.



You need to shop for fuel more carefully. Jet fuel should be a lot
cheaper than avgas and if you look at the ads in TAP you will see
places selling it reasonable.

Last night I put over $100 worth of LL in the Deb at $3.79. With full
tanks I can play around (running 75% and about 190 MPH) for nearly 5
hours before I have to start looking for a gas station and that sill
leaves me with VFR reserves plus the unusable. If I fill the tip
tanks I can stay out there ALL afternoon, plus an hour before looking
for more gas.

With a PT-6 up front and down low I'm looking at *maybe* two hours.
With tip tanks I wouldn't even add another hour.

For the Jet A to come close to being an economically viable
alternative it'd have to sell for around $1.50 and I'd still be stuck
with short duration and range unless I went to altitude.

Shoving the torque to 100% with all that HP and a light plane could be
a real rush, but even with what I have now I can not just jam the
throttle in on a balked landing, go around, or stall recovery. Unlike
a 150 or 172 I have to ease the power in if I don't want to see the
world from a new attitude. Imagine if I had three times the power
instantly available in the same plane.

Unfortunately for just playing, the PT-6 and Jet A would about triple
or quadruple my cost.

Now if I had a 300 to 350 HP diesel up front... :-))

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com