ACAC Selects Superior Air Part's Vantage Engine To Power The
New "High Country Explorer"
Superior Air
Parts has announced that American Champion
Aircraft is the first aircraft manufacturer to use the new
Vantage Engine on a certified aircraft.
ACA will use a Vantage Engine de-rated to 170 horsepower on
their new "High Country Explorer" aircraft, which is an enhanced
version of the company's popular 7GCBC Explorer.
"The creation of this
new aircraft is a direct response to customer demand," explained
Jerry Mehlhaff, ACA's President. "Everybody's asking for a bigger
engine that will give the airplane the added performance back
country pilots need." And it's proving to be just that kind of
performance in its early test flights.
"We've only flown it a few hours, but the early numbers are
really strong," Mehlhaff said. "It really shows off its advantages
in the takeoff and climb performance areas. We have seen takeoff
distances as short as 200-feet and climb rates as high as 1,800
feet-per-minute. Full-power, full-flap stall speed is 32
miles-per-hour, and we really had to work to make it stall
there."
"Another key advantage that the Vantage Engine will bring to
High Country Explorer operators is the capability to operate on
unleaded auto fuel," Mehlhaff added. "This will greatly enhance the
airplanes operation in areas where Avgas is hard to find or
expensive to buy."
"My dealers and the people they talk to about the new airplane
with the Vantage Engine are very excited about it," he added.
"Everyone knows the quality and performance of Superior's
Millennium Cylinders, so you can imagine how much we're all looking
forward to enjoying the performance of this complete new
engine."
"We couldn't be happier about American Champion being the first
OEM to use the Vantage Engine," added Terry Wood, Superior's V.P.
Sales. "It's even a more exciting situation because they have
decided to de-rate the 180 horsepower Vantage down to 170
horsepower. This shows the versatility of the engine."
Wood explained that "High Country Explorer" pilots will enjoy
more performance from the de-rated 170 horsepower engine. For
example, the de-rated Vantage Engine will actually deliver more
power at higher altitudes than a "standard" engine that is "fully
rated". This is because a standard O-320 with maximum power output
(sea level) of 160 horsepower will only produce 117 horsepower at
7,500 feet on a standard day.
A Vantage Engine in the same application, de-rated to 170
horsepower at sea level, will deliver 145 horsepower at 7,500 feet
- an increase of 24% over the standard O-320. Alternatively, the
de-rated Vantage Engine could be operated at reduced speeds and/or
manifold pressures to match the O-320's 117 horsepower at altitude
to enjoy the lower fuel flow.
"The High Country Explorer is going to be a combination
recreational and working aircraft that will appeal to people who
have to routinely operate at higher altitudes," Mehlhaff continued.
"It's a horsepower per pound ratio kind of thing. With the de-rated
Vantage Engine, we're getting pretty close to 10 pounds per
horsepower."
Along with the improved performance of the Vantage Engine, the
new "High Country Explorer" will feature ACA's high-lift wing,
vortex generators, aluminum landing gear, tundra tires and other
refinements that will make it a true high-country performer.