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


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.


We are comparing a 800-1200 hp engine to a 300 hp engine,
unfortunately. A turbine really designed for a 300 hp output would have
a fuel burn higher, not drastically so, than your air cooled WWII era
recip.

I bought one gallon (yes) of 100LL for my cheaply built lawnmower (I
use avgas in it before winter storage: it's built of cheap plastics and
seals, not like it should be, because most people dumpster them before
rebuild) and paid almost $5 out here. Car gas is over $3 here. And I'm
in a "cheap" gas market.

We used to use avgas as a octane booster, 8:1 with the best grade
unleaded (or 16:1 with green when we could get it...) for motorcycles.
Today I'd replace all the rubber, slosh the tank with alcoholproof
sealer, and run E85.