Actually, it would be easier than you think to spend an extra
$20K - have you priced a 3 blade MT prop lately !!! ;-)
I've heard numbers in the $12K - $15K region - and that is
the ONLY prop approved for the Thielert. Of course, we don't need
the STC paperwork, but a lot of the other stuff could be costly -
I'm sure they approve only ONE kind of radiator, etc.
Up here, Shell still makes auto fuel without alcohol,
and we've been paying over 70 cents a LITER for mogas for quite
a while - diesel is only pennies cheaper, and a LOT less available.
I have flown several aircraft, including at least 3 Rebels,
for over 12 years burning auto gas (almost exclusively in one Rebel),
with standard hoses. Sure, there were problems when I got BAD GAS -
3 times in 12 years - it was immediately visible in the sight guage
tubing, and just meant replacing the tubing within a month or 2.
Only one of the episodes with bad gas happened in the USA - the
others were here, and ONE was BAD 100LL !! The problem wasn't
alcohol, it was a bunch of old benzene, toluene, and other solvents
that people like to dump into fuel to dispose of it. I hear many
reports of PCB's being dumped into diesel fuel for the truckers
to burn off !!
Probably a bigger worry, long term, if alcohol percentages
increase, is the penchant for alcohol to EAT aluminum - there go
our tanks and fuel lines, not to mention carburetor bowls, intake
manifolds, and the rest of the engine !
If you want to run jet fuel or diesel, AND you want
"REALLY COOL" - have a look at:
www.atpcoinc.com !!
The ATP turbine weighs well under 200 lb, puts out approx.
200 horsepower, and, according to the test pilot, who I've known for
several years, burns under 16 gal./hour wide open, and under 10 GPH,
at altitude, is conservative cruise !!! I could live with THAT !!
That would make about THE most exciting Rebel on amphibs that
I can imagine !!! And talk about cool .....
(Sound of Turbine Rebel spooling up !!! ) :-) :-)
......bobp
PS
Unlike the 2400 hours "throw-away" time for the Thielert,
the ATP turbine has a "(suggested)INSPECTION(only)" at 10,000 hours !!!
--------------------------------orig.-----------------------------
At 12:10 PM 11/3/02 -0600, you wrote:
Hhhmmmmmmm .... tell me again why I should spend $40,000 USD
for a Thielert installation ?? !! ;-)
(Before I get jumped on again, that $40K number came right off Superior's
mis-spelled FAQ page, as the typical price for one, installed, in
a C-172 or Cherokee.)
Cost of engine mount, accesories, prop, paperwork and profit margin equals
$40k US.
Cost of the engine $19.9k US. I seriously doubt that you could actually
spend an additional $20k on an engine mount and prop for a Rebel. :-)
The only reason I could see is the fuel. Diesel or Jet A. Where I'm at in
the US, it's hard to pay $1.60/gal for diesel for the truck, and then go pay
$2.90/gal for 100LL for the plane. (Chicago area)
The engine just uses less fuel, and the fuel could be bought less
expensively if you use diesel instead of Jet A.
And then there's the entire chemical compatability with the polymers that
are used within a plane. 100LL wont be around forever, the only substance
that I've seen that would be able to support the compression/temperature
combinations that we run in a "normal" airplane engine is ethanol. But that
wont work because we have "rubber" hoses and materials throughout the fuel
system that turn to jelly when combined with most forms of alcohol over a
long period of time. Thus the problem with Mogas. (How many builders have
used fluoropolymer based fuel lines rather than the normal "aircraft
quality" fuel lines that will fall apart after running mogas (with an
ethanol additive) for a period of time?)
Diesel and Jet A don't have that problem. Keep using the same old hoses and
seals you always have been.
Then there is the Europe thing. The cost of 100LL in EU is expensive.
Diesel is cheap.
The most important reason to run the engine though: Because you think it's
cool. :-)
Rob Luce
http://www.shepluce.com/
http://www.shepluce.com/images/webcam/
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