Superior Air Parts says it will launch a full line of diesel
aircraft engines starting with a 100-horsepower unit
aimed at the LSA market and scaling up to as much as
600 horsepower. In a news conference at Sun 'n Fun,
company representatives said they acquired the rights
to a liquid-cooled two-stroke diesel design developed
by U.K.-based Powerplant Developments in late 2014.
Since then, Superior has been testing prototypes of the
Gemini on the bench and plans to deliver test engines
to OEMs in two to three months. "The main question
we get is 'How soon can we get one?'" said Superior
CEO Tim Archer.
The PPD design puts two horizontally opposed pistons
in the same cylinder with outboard crankshafts driving a
common center shaft through a system of front-mounted
gears. The result is a package that's about the same size
as the Rotax 912 and weighs about 200 pounds, 10
percent more than the Rotax. Archer said the weight
difference is more than offset by the 25-percent fuel
savings offered by the Gemini. Projected retail price is
$25,000, about 20 percent more than a Rotax 912iS,
and they're aiming for a 2,000-hour TBO. Archer said
the company decided to continue development of the
100-horsepower model because it was already so far
advanced but the real market will be in the bigger
certified engines sized for every piston market segment.
At the upper end, there will be six-cylinder/12-piston
models capable of replacing many small turboprops.
Superior has an aggressive development schedule
planned and hopes to have certified engines within a
couple of years. Archer acknowledged the unique
design might initially cause some market resistance,
particularly in the U.S., but the engine is working well
on the bench and its low cost and efficiency should win
over skeptics.
Click here for our video examination of the Gemini.
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