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The Editors of AVweb |
TCM Comes Out Swinging
New
Logo, New Engine Promotions
It's been a tough few months for the folks at Teledyne Continental Motors.
For most of 1998, a hydraulic press used to assemble crankshafts for its most
popular engine series — the 470, 520 and 550 big-bore sixes — was misadjusted.
The press managed to damage the super-hard nitride coating on numerous
crankshafts, producing a stress riser. In turn, a few of the crankshafts failed,
resulting in engine failure. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries —
except perhaps to TCM's bank account and to its reputation. Recognizing that the
latter is more important than the former, the company launched an aggressive
inspection and repair program, ultimately calling for inspection of the engines
on some 3,500 aircraft around the world. AVweb's Mike Busch was right
on top of it from the start and, although his airplane was not affected, he
closely monitored TCM's reaction and the efforts the company made to find and
fix the damaged cranks. Although the final episode in the saga of TCM's 1998
crankshafts has not yet been written, most in the industry give the company high
marks for the speed and completeness of its response. Many also believe that TCM
has set a new, higher standard for customer support in the general aviation
industry.
Fast forward to July. Despite the buffeting of the last few months, TCM seems
to have flown out of its turbulence and is setting a new course, with a new logo
and changes in the way it markets its new, factory rebuilt and custom
"Platinum" series powerplants. Among other moves, TCM is adopting an
aggressive price schedule for its so-called "aftermarket new" engines,
which are 100% brand-new and include all the latest updates. Featuring a
three-year, 1,000-hour warranty, this powerplant option can be had for only a
15% to 20% premium over a factory rebuild, according to the company. TCM's
Platinum Series 300 hp IO-550 six-cylinder engine is blueprinted and each key
component is matched and balanced, resulting in a smoother, longer-lasting
engine installation. Included in the Platinum deal is a five-year, unlimited
factory warranty to TBO, five years of free engine oil analysis and two free
annual engine inspections. TCM's Fairhope, Ala., facility must do the
installation of the Platinum Series powerplant. But you'd better hurry. If you
buy a new TCM engine between August 1 and September 30 and obtain a coupon at
TCM's EAA AirVenture '99 booth, TCM is offering a $500 rebate for each engine.
Buy two.
Unison Jumps Into Spark Plug Market
Unison Industries ignited the Oshkosh crowd Wednesday when it announced a new line of aviation spark plugs to add to its Slick magnetos and wiring harnesses. For 20 years, Unison's goal has been to offer a complete ignition kit to engine
overhaulers and builders. The new Autolite Aviation Spark Plug line fulfills that mission and challenges Brand C's monopoly on the market. The plugs are
FAA-PMA approved and are available for Textron-Lycoming, Teledyne-Continental, Franklin, Pratt & Whitney, Curtis-Wright, and Jacobs engines.
The new plugs have a bright nickelplate, which Unison expects to both last longer against the elements and blend in better with the chromed look on newer custom installations. The plug is designed for maximum lead-scavenging capability to reduce the chance of lead fouling. The new design also places the resistor under the glass seal inside the plug, which is expected to increase electrode life.
Unison is pricing a set of plugs about 5 percent less than Champion, and buying the plugs as part of a complete ignition kit offers more savings. Kit customers will get 8 plugs for the price of 6, and 12 for the price of 9. The other advantage to kit customers is one part number instead of three for a given engine type. The Northern Lights Aerobatic team is using Unison's plugs in their Extra 300s while performing at AirVenture '99.
Autolite had abandoned the aviation market in 1986, along with many other GA
players, during that decade's economic downturn. Unison's Autolite plugs will be manufactured in Rockford, Ill.
Autolite, a division of Allied Signal, is the world's largest manufacturer of spark plugs for cars and industrial applications.
Massive electrode plugs should be available in mid-August for all Continental engines. Unison expects to announce a line of
fine wire plugs early next year, perhaps timed to Sun 'n Fun.
V/STOL For The Masses?
It's Two, Two, Two Birds In One!
While the Moller Skycar and CarterCopter have been making news with their
attempts to produce a personal V/STOL aircraft, Duncan Aviation of Michigan has
been quietly toiling away on its own V/STOL design, and recently announced the
first flight of its Xantus tilt-prop aircraft, named after a species of
hummingbird. The Xantus looks like a mini version of the Bell/Boeing V-22
tilt-rotor, but with two more engines, and was unveiled to the public for the
first time at AirVenture '99. Duncan Aviation predicts the four-passenger
tilt-prop aircraft will take off and land vertically, cruise at 290 mph with a
range of up to 800 nm, and have a fly-away cost of around $225,000.
After receiving an airworthiness certificate from the FAA on July 7, the
aircraft made its first tentative hovering flight on July 11. Xantus designer
Terry Duncan is a lead engineer for Williams International and has six
inventions on the new Williams GAP engine. Duncan Aviation plans a cautious test
program with a logical progression of flights to define the flight envelope of
this unique aircraft. Duncan told AVweb that the first step in the flight
test program is to explore the hovering characteristics of the Xantus up to a
height of about 12 feet, to verify the V/STOL's stability free of ground effect.
After the hovering flight envelope has been explored, the engines will be
rotated to the horizontal position for a series of conventional takeoff and
landing tests from a 12,000-foot runway in Michigan. Only once Duncan feels
comfortable with the aircraft after these two phases will he tackle the tricky
task of transitioning from hover to horizontal flight. If you're visiting
AirVenture '99, the Xantus can be seen parked at booth 91 just north of the D
exhibition building. If you're not at Oshkosh, you can check out the Xantus at Duncan
Aviation on the Web.
Cirrus Aircraft Takes A Second Step
After
delivering the first production aircraft on July 20, Cirrus quickly followed
that milestone with a second production model delivered just three days later,
according to Chris Maddy, director of marketing at the Duluth, Minn., aircraft
manufacturer. "There are now 324 airplanes on order and we expect to
deliver 100 of them in the next 12 months," he told AVweb at the
company's display area here at AirVenture '99.
In order to get the airplane built, "We are currently ramping up for
production," said Matt Kull, director of production. "Our next
objective is to increase production to one plane per week." With funding
secured and a flurry of hiring taking place, Cirrus is poised to add to its
241-person workforce and increase production of the SR20.
On display was the second production airplane that had been delivered late
last week. The first Cirrus SR20 was also in Wisconsin, but tied down at
Appleton airport, which will allow Cirrus to demonstrate the aircraft to more
potential customers.
AVweb
publisher Carl Marbach flew the SR20 at the company headquarters and will
publish a complete pilot report in the coming month. "It was a pleasure to
fly," he reported, "with the best-feeling ailerons and roll control of
any airplane I have flown. I felt comfortable in the airplane from engine start
to shutdown. The four-seat interior is comfortable for all the occupants and the
futuristic panel completes the feeling that this is a new airplane."
AviaBellanca Joins Forces With Spanish Company To Develop Skyrocket III
John Clark, CEO of AviaBellanca Aircraft Corporation, announced Wednesday at
AirVenture '99 that the company has reached an agreement to partner with Grupo
EB-RIM, S.A., a Spanish firm that specializes in composite structures for
aircraft. Grupo EB-RIM will provide financing and will manufacture parts for the
AviaBellanca Skyrocket III, a six-passenger all-composite aircraft designed by
August T. Bellanca. A proof-of-concept version of the aircraft is on display at
Oshkosh.
The company says the SkyRocket III will cruise 327 mph at 75 percent power
in the 435 hp configuration and have a range of 2,300 miles. It can be built
pressurized or non-pressurized. It will be offered initially in kit form, but the
company plans to pursue Part 23 certification for factory production. Clark said
that AviaBellanca has 20 orders for the airplane, which sells for $97,750
without pressurization, less engine, interior and avionics.
AviaBellanca previously announced that the Orenda V-8 liquid-cooled engine would
be available as an option for the Skyrocket III. The Orenda develops 600 hp for
takeoff, and recently received its U.S. and Canadian type certificates.
Clark said that work will begin within the next few months on two
preproduction prototypes of the Skyrocket III, which will incorporate changes to
reduce cooling drag, and a change in basic construction. The prototypes will use
carbon fiber over Nomex honeycomb to reduce weight, instead of fiberglass over
aluminum honeycomb as used in the proof-of-concept plane. Clark expects build
time on the prototypes to be about a year, and expects to begin delivering kits
within 22 months.
The AviaBellanca Skyrocket is the latest in a long line of Bellanca-designed
aircraft. August Bellanca's father, Guiseppi M. Bellanca, began before World War
I to design aircraft known for their efficiency and speed. The Wright-Bellanca
was Charles Lindbergh's first choice to fly the Atlantic, but the deal fell
through. Clyde Pangborn, in the Bellanca CH-300 "Miss Veedol," was the
first to fly the Pacific. G.M. Bellanca designed the Cruisair and Cruisemaster
series of low-wing general aviation aircraft, but the Bellanca family and
AviaBellanca have no connection with the current Bellanca, Inc., which
manufactures the Viking.
S-Tec Introduces New GPS Roll-steering Autopilots
Aftermarket
and OEM autopilot manufacturer S-Tec Corporation announced a pair of
autopilots designed to bring a new level of flight-control capability to the
small-plane owner, the System Forty X and the System Fifty X. Both new S-Tec
models feature GPSS capability — or GPS Steering — to give direct left/right
steering commands when linked to a GPS navigator equipped to output digital
composite steering commands. The steering input goes to the autopilot through
the unit's normal heading-input channel. The result is an autopilot capable of
flying centerline-to-centerline course changes without hunting for the exact
course or over-steering the aircraft. According to the company, as more avionics
manufacturers add data for instrument approaches, these new flight-control
systems will also be able to fly approach profiles output by the GPS. Neither
the System Forty X nor System Fifty X follow a CDI's needle deflections, but
both are capable of tracking a heading input from a DG, VOR/LOC and GPS, plus
reversing course.
S-Tec also has developed the new GPSS Converter for use with existing S-Tec
autopilots, such as the popular System 30 and System 60, and for retrofit to any
other S-Tec flight controller. Similar to the GPSS feature of the two new
autopilots, the $695 control box converts the heading channel to take GPS
steering input from GPS navigators that output steering information in the
composite digital 429 code. S-Tec priced the single-axis System Forty X at
$5,495, while the two-axis System Fifty X goes for $7,995, not including such
options as a DG, HSI or manual electric trim. The System Forty X and System
Fifty X should be available in the fourth quarter of this year, per STCs the
company is in the process of developing. The GPSS Converter will be available in
October.
Briefs...
Forums Area Gets Four New Pavilions, More Planned for 2000
and 2001
The forums area at OSH,
where some of the most knowledgeable, interesting and informative people
in aviation have spoken to sweaty crowds in hot, dark and musty tents, is in the
midst of a major overhaul. New open-sided pavilions feature concrete floors,
insulated ceilings, fans and built-in multimedia systems. The hope is that the
pavilions will be cool and let participants see and hear presenters better.
This year, three 400-seat buildings for general-interest presentations
and one 1,000-seat building for
GAMA forums are finished and in use. America Online, Varilux, Sporty's and
Jeppesen sponsored the first four buildings. Forums Coordinator Wes Schmid said three more buildings will be ready for
next year and the final four will be finished by 2001. Landscaping and trees
will be installed around the forum pavilions to create a more park-like setting,
he said.
Half A Million And Counting, Young Eagles Take Off
Steven Ward of Medina, Ohio, is only nine years old, and a little overwhelmed
by all the attention. When Tom Poberezny introduced him to a crowd Wednesday
morning as Young Eagle No. 500,000, he beamed a wide smile but was at a loss for
words. But it was clear, as Poberezny placed a fatherly hand on Steven's
shoulder and prompted him a bit, the memory of his first flight in a small plane
was still bright and shining. Ten years from now a little guy like Steven could
be a full-fledged pilot, and as Poberezny made clear, that's what the Young
Eagles are all about. By reaching out to children, the EAA and its members hope
to build an infrastructure to carry general aviation into the future. The Young
Eagles program also offers camps and school lessons to fuel that spark of
interest beyond the first flight. The goal of flying a million young people by
2003, which once seemed pie in the sky, now seems right over the horizon.
Tuskegee Airmen Take It Easy On The Ground
They didn't bring any airplanes, but on Wednesday morning three World War II
veterans generated a quiet but powerful presence in the "D" Exhibit
Hall. Seated behind a table filled with books for sale about the illustrious
history of their group, Milton Williams explained that the Tuskegee Airmen, with
chapters around the country, are dedicated to serving young people. The chapters
raise money for scholarships for promising students, and the competition is open
to children of any race. "We don't want to turn around and do to others
what was done to us," Williams said. Airman Robert Martin suggested that
page 63 in one of the books was worth a look: Yes, that's him and his brother,
fifty-some years ago, and they're both pretty handsome, don't you think?
An Airplane On Mars?
The scientists at NASA like to call their contraption an airplane, but it
lacks most of a pilot's favorite features — such as a fuselage and a cockpit,
for starters. More like a flying wing, the solar-powered flyer nevertheless
could prove to be the first extraterrestrial aircraft. And Mars could be just
the beginning — several other planets and moons in the solar system have
atmospheres that could support flying machines, and you can be sure our folks at
NASA are taking a close look at each one.
World's Biggest 182 Lands Short Of OSH
A pilot and his passenger, on their way to AirVenture '99 from Tylertown,
Miss., escaped with minor injuries after landing their Cessna 182 in a soybean
field near Fond du Lac, Wis., after some trouble with the engine. One media
report that AVweb saw described the 182 as a "small commuter
plane," so we figure this must have been the rare stretched version, on its
way to a display on the Experimental flight line. Or is it possible the media
got it wrong, again?
Lighter-Than-Air Is Just Not There
AirVenture may be the world's largest aviation event, but it's still not big
enough to encompass every type of sport flying. The only representative of the
LTA contingent that AVweb could find was a tiny helium globe flying 100
feet above the beer tent.
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