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.
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We talk with Grand Champion builders about their experiences building some of the finest airplanes in the world.
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.