Offering Turbo Normalized XP-360 Engine For Lancair Legacy
Superior Air Parts, Inc. and Lancair International have
partnered to install Superior's TNIO-360 Turbo Normalized XP-360
Engine on the popular fixed-gear Lancair Legacy sport plane. "Ever
since the Legacy FG was introduced at last year's Sun 'n Fun,
builders have been asking for an engine option that will deliver
the performance they want at higher altitudes," explained Lancair's
Sales Manager, Kim Lorentzen.
"After reviewing the Turbo XP-360's performance numbers we knew
we had found the perfect match."
"To achieve the performance numbers they had targeted, Lancair
was looking for a 200-horsepower engine for the Legacy," added
Terry Wood, Superior's VP Sales. "But when we showed them that we
could beat those numbers with our 180-horsepower, turbo normalized
engine the decision was automatic."
"In fact," added Superior consultant and Principle of AvPower,
LLC, Bob Minnis, "when you turbo normalize a 180-horse engine you
will actually get a lot more power than even a normally aspirated,
six-cylinder engine can deliver at higher altitudes. The turbo
normalized XP-360 will deliver 75-percent power up to nearly 25,000
feet."
And although the engine/airframe combination is in the very
early stages of flight-testing, if the early results are any
indications, the turbo normalized XP-360 is going to beat
expectations. "The initial flight tests are proving out to exceed
our predictions for climb performance and cruise speeds," said Tim
Ong Lancair's Engineering Manager. "The turbo normalized XP-360
significantly out performs the original engine we had in the
airplane. It's not even close."
Another advantage that Superior's Turbo Normalized XP-360 Engine
has over comparable power plants is its Turbo, pressure relief
valve and fixed point controller are all automatic. "We use a
completely automatic system," Minnis added. "The pilot flies the
airplane just like a normally aspirated engine with no worry over
extra controls or settings. The fixed point controller
automatically maintains a max power condition all the way to cruise
altitude."
Minnis also said that while the XP-360 may be an "experimental"
engine, the Kelly Aerospace turbo normalize system and all the
associated components are FAA certified with hundreds of systems in
operation. "There's nothing experimental about this system," he
said. "We've taken a highly proven product with a history of
exceptional performance and reliability and married it to the
XP-360 Engine."