Ordinary automotive gasoline won’t cut it as a leadless replacement for avgas according to the CEO of TCM Continental Motors. Rhett Ross told reporters at a news conference Thursday that the use of ethanol and the host of other additives that go into auto fuel to compensate for temperature and other conditions make it unpredictable in aircraft engines. “There has to be an aviation spec,” he said. Ross said the company is working on alternative fuel engines, including a mogas option for the re-engineered (25 lbs. lighter) 0200 that’s targeting the Light Sport Aircraft market. The diesel engine is under development but he didn’t go into detail. FADEC is a major push at TMC and there will soon be three engines available with the electronic controls.
The feature has been available on the 0240 for some time and is now on the normally aspirated 550. Coming soon is certification on the turbo 550. An STC for FADEC in Cirrus SR22s is now available. Ross said the Aerosance FADEC division is being moved from Connecticut to TCM headquarters in Mobile to “get the sparkies and gearheads in the same room.”
