KITPLANES checked in with TurbAero’s Bernie Breen on the development of the company’s 200-hp turbine engine for homebuilts. A partially built Van’s RV-7A (renamed the RV-7T) will be the company’s testbed once the engine has completed its development and ground testing.
In Case You Missed it
Poison Alert
On January 20, 2022, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) petitioned the FAA with...
Light Stuff
Roy Beisswenger discusses the impact of the FAAs LODA order allowing Light Sport instructors to resume training with their Experimental aircraft.
The Unintimidated Builder
Builder Walter Treadwell has taken on projects that many of us would find daunting, and he keeps upping the ante. First came a Lancair 235, then a plansbuilt Jenny JN-4, followed by a P-38 and then his current project, a resized Sikorsky S-38. Some 4000 hours into the new project, Treadwell has a ways to go, but fortunately he has a mini AgCat to fly in the meantime; by Bob Fritz.
Certainly be following this with interest !
Thank you! Wishing you the best. This may lead to the possibility of having turboprop replacement options for many of our certified Class I and II normally piston powered aircraft as well as homebuilts.. I have owned a light twin and now a humble Cherokee. I used to say one day I’ll have a turboprop on it. I was a former military pilot, I loved operating the smooth turbine engines. I know years ago, a small machine shop had made small turboprop engine of about 186 SHP that were put on Cubs and alike. They were burning about double the fuel as a piston engine. The shop decided to not continue making those small TP engines, even with a few in operation. I sincerely hope this becomes successful. We have seen great progress over the last 20 years in small turbine powerplants. Many of us are watching. Properly designed turbines are usual very reliable, even more so than piston engines.