Jump to content

RR to introduce a turboprop for mooney


Recommended Posts

Seen on Aero-News network :

 

A Turbine Mooney! Planemaker, RR Sign Agreement For Joint Project

 

Sat, 02 Aug '08

New Powerplant Offers Fuel Alternative For GA

 

Mooney Airplane Company announced Friday at AirVenture that the company has entered into a joint engineering project with Rolls-Royce, to explore the use of the newly-announced RR500 turbine "to complement the current Mooney product line."

 

Mooney's participation in the General Aviation Manufacturers Association's Future Avgas Strategy and Transition (FAST) Plan and Mooney's experience in building high-performance airframes make the two companies logical partners for the new project.

 

The benefits of developing the RR500 to power a four-place aircraft include improved global fuel availability in emerging markets where 100LL is scarce to non-existent.

 

"The RR500 turbine introduced this week by Rolls-Royce represents the next step in our exploration of alternative fuel power for personal aircraft," said Mooney President and CEO Dennis Ferguson. "The rugged Mooney airframe is uniquely suited to accept the power of the Rolls-Royce engine and we're very excited about working with Rolls-Royce to examine to the possibility of bringing a Jet-A powered Mooney turboprop to the market in the future."

 

Mooney believes that an affordable turbine-powered four-place aircraft is an important segment of the market that is being overlooked. Such an aircraft configuration fills two growing voids in the market. First, a four-place turboprop represents a logical step for the tens of thousands of pilots now flying high-performance piston aircraft because the transition to flying a small turboprop will require no special type rating or unusual insurance requirements. Second, a Jet-A powered turbine provides the basis of a product that has global appeal.

 

More details will follow in the coming months as Mooney and Rolls-Royce work together to expand the scope of the engineering project and refine what the configuration of such an aircraft will be.

you can also have a look on mooney's and RR's website

 

seems that serious companies are finally deciding go for turboprop for GA!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

seems that serious companies are finally deciding go for turboprop for GA!

:confused: ....you mean like the Lancair?

Doesn't Pratt and Whitney have a solution for this market now?

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pratt's PT6 has been used for GA aircraft, but always for experimental aircraft such as lancair or some rich pilot of RV's willing to adapt them to their machine

But the PT6 was original designed for bigger airframe like the king air, and is still too powerful for regular GA's,

Mooney is a certified airframe builder, under different FARs than lancair, and the RR 500 is more adapted to a 4 seats general aviation airframes (350 to 450 shp, and i suppose lower gph, announcement here)

In the same way, you can’t compare adapted APUs (innodyn) to engines designed to have a propeller attached to it...

 

Maybe Pratt will come out with a down sized down priced version of the PT6 to compete, and GE has brought Walter turbines (turbine legend), future will be interesting (anyone for a turbine EZ?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me thinks a good question would be for to ask...

Where does one put all the fuel for a 33 gph turboprop in a little 4 place airplane so as to get 3- 4 hours duration and some distance/range out of the craft? Or am I just displaying my ignorance again?

Self confessed Wingnut.

Now think about it...wouldn't you rather LIVE your life, rather than watch someone else's, on Reality T.V.?

Get up off that couch!!! =)

 

Progress; Fuselage on all three, with outside and inside nearly complete. 8 inch extended nose. FHC done. Canard finished. ERacer wings done with blended winglets. IO540 starting rebuild. Mounting Spar. Starting strake ribs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could have sworn this was a conversation place about CANARDS...

Regarding other aircraft,

I would like to build a Nemisis II, so I think you missed my point.

Self confessed Wingnut.

Now think about it...wouldn't you rather LIVE your life, rather than watch someone else's, on Reality T.V.?

Get up off that couch!!! =)

 

Progress; Fuselage on all three, with outside and inside nearly complete. 8 inch extended nose. FHC done. Canard finished. ERacer wings done with blended winglets. IO540 starting rebuild. Mounting Spar. Starting strake ribs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a hard time calling a $1,000,000 + turboprop a GA aircraft.

Who would buy a 1,000,000$ mooney? when for a couple buks more, you can get a VLJ

 

I would be surprised if mooney would go for this range of price anyway

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just listen to mooney folks talk, and watch the advertising efforts strut around like cocks on the walk.

THEY think they are 'worth' it.

"Fastest GA aircraft", my eye....:ROTFLMAO:

Self confessed Wingnut.

Now think about it...wouldn't you rather LIVE your life, rather than watch someone else's, on Reality T.V.?

Get up off that couch!!! =)

 

Progress; Fuselage on all three, with outside and inside nearly complete. 8 inch extended nose. FHC done. Canard finished. ERacer wings done with blended winglets. IO540 starting rebuild. Mounting Spar. Starting strake ribs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Me thinks a good question would be for to ask...

Where does one put all the fuel for a 33 gph turboprop in a little 4 place airplane so as to get 3- 4 hours duration and some distance/range out of the craft?

I realize its not a huge improvement, but I just watched an annoying avweb video in which someone (David Nubio is what it sounded like) from RR said it used 24gph. So a velocity XL with the optional fuel tanks (giving it 93gallons) can actually get almost 4 hours if you burn your reserves. Also, it weighs about half as much as a io540.

 

That's all close enough to useful that I wouldn't be surprised to see someone trying to put one on a velocity in a few years.

 

And besides, we've already seen both a velocity and a cozy with a jet engine (not to mention rockets). This actually seems a bit more practical than that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the fuel burn is closer to double that on climb. I was looking at Walter Turboprops for a 6 place project and the buggers need 6 feet of space. They are very reasonable in price[used 45grand] and weight but will turn your CozyIV into a traditional Eracer [no backseat passengers] with that engine. So extend your fuel strakes all the way flush with the fuse sidewalls and have not much baggage space in the back, and what do you have....not much passenger utility.

But you can say you have a Turboprop.

Mannnnn, they do sound sweeeeet.:D

But taking another couple with you, or your kids on a trip seems a lot more appealing than taking your turboprop and its fuel burn with you!

Self confessed Wingnut.

Now think about it...wouldn't you rather LIVE your life, rather than watch someone else's, on Reality T.V.?

Get up off that couch!!! =)

 

Progress; Fuselage on all three, with outside and inside nearly complete. 8 inch extended nose. FHC done. Canard finished. ERacer wings done with blended winglets. IO540 starting rebuild. Mounting Spar. Starting strake ribs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just listen to mooney folks talk, and watch the advertising efforts strut around like cocks on the walk.

THEY think they are 'worth' it.

"Fastest GA aircraft", my eye....

 

Well, its difficult to tell those with so much pride in the sale or purchase of the aircraft. Ever sit in one? I did after getting out of a V-tail. Jeese..a lot of money for a Mooney just to feel Cozy.;)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't want to open an new thread so i'll post hear

 

check this :

 

http://www.price-induction.com/

 

i know you poeple think it's vaporware again, but still worth to check the possible evolution of this product/company...

you will find 3d model of the engine and a couple of software to help you design your aircraft perf with this engine onboard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't want to open an new thread so i'll post hear

 

check this :

 

http://www.price-induction.com/

 

i know you poeple think it's vaporware again, but still worth to check the possible evolution of this product/company...

you will find 3d model of the engine and a couple of software to help you design your aircraft perf with this engine onboard

if they do build them they will be more cost effective and cheeper and when they are ready for sale they will be slightly less then the current stuff which will be even more then it cost now, so it will seem cheap then and be somewhere around a million give or take a few million

Evolultion Eze RG -a two place side by side-200 Knots on 200 HP. A&P / pilot for over 30 years

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information