Viking Engines, Produced For Experimental Aircraft, Will Be Offering A Turbocharged Variation Of Its Engine

Viking aircraft engines have been used in the experimental aircraft market for a number of years, and are produced from a highly modified version of a Honda automobile engine. Their most popular engine delivers 130 horsepower, but now turbocharging will change that.

Viking says that with a Honda based Viking engine you are flying behind a mass produced engine. These engine cores are made in the hundreds of thousands. They say that parts are readily available and not expensive, and that an entire new engine block cost less than a typical overhaul of most other aircraft engines.

Now, they are introducing the Viking 174 future Turbo engine for August 2016 delivery. They’re claiming this engine will deliver 174 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 377 foot-pounds of torque at between 1,700 and 5,500 RPM.

Viking says, one previous disadvantage of turbo engines was that by sending high-pressure air into the engine, the temperature and pressure within the engine would rise, resulting in knocking. The Viking press release includes the following information for our gearhead readers that want the details.

To resolve the disadvantage of turbocharging, they say the Viking TURBO employs direct injection technology to inject fuel directly into the cylinders, lowering the temperature within the cylinders by the gasoline’s vaporization heat. High tumble intake ports which strengthen intake airflow, and tumble flow maintaining pistons allow fuel to be quickly and efficiently burned. By the cooling effect of direct injection and rapid combustion by high tumble flow, knocking no longer occurs.

They explained that turbochargers use high-temperature exhaust gas from the engine’s combustion chamber to send air into the engine. As turbocharged engines have high torque, the exhaust gas from the combustion chamber can exceed 1,000ºC. However, Viking says that their engine includes a Liquid-cooled exhaust manifold built in to the cylinder-head which reduces exhaust gas temperature to an optimal level before it enters the turbocharger. Thus, the turbocharger’s reliability, is increased.

Fortunately, you will not be tested on this information, but you can find out more through the link provided below.

(Image provided by Viking Engines)

FMI: www.vikingaircraftengines.ning.com/