Now You Can Burn Jet-A In Your 182... Legally
SMA Chairman and CEO Luc Pelon announced Monday at Oshkosh
that they now own a supplemental type certificate (STC) to install
their SR305-230 compression ignition engine in Cessna's venerable
C-182. The FAA awarded the STC on July 21 2006, just in time for
AirVenture.
"We did not use European approval to justify this installation;
we earned this STC directly from the US FAA," said Pelon, "This STC
was a long time coming, too long, but we've done it." Mr. Pelon
recognized many of the individuals from SMA, SMA's parent
organization SAFRAN Group, the FAA and others that were
instrumental in reaching this milestone, remarking, "We do not
stand alone."
SAFRAN Group includes such big names as Snecma, Sagem Avionics
and Turbomeca Helicopter, and is partnered with GE on the
production of the CFM 56 series engines.
SMA asserts the SR305-230 engine is safer, easier to use and
more economical than the Continental 0-470 engine it replaces in
the C-182. "Pilots that fly this aircraft spend a lot of time
looking for the missing cockpit controls," according to Thierry
Mantel, SMA's Production Manager, "they can't believe all you have
to do is push up the throttle and go - no worry about mixture, prop
control or time limits on maximum power."
The C-182 installation includes a ground use only prop control
to facilitate a pre-takeoff operational check; the prop RPM is
limited to 2200 for all flight operations. Fuel flows are billed as
12 GPH at 230 hp (100% power) and 7.9 GPH at 150 hp (65%
power).
The STC adds 40 lbs to the weight of the aircraft. The SR305-230
is 60 lbs heavier than the 0-470, but you'll get back 20 lbs by
using either a Hartzell or M-T composite propeller - the only kind
approved for use with this engine.
Tim McDonald, a potential SMA customer attending the press
conference told ANN he was very impressed with the claims of ease
of use, durability and economy. "This engine is the wave of the
future, especially with all the questions surrounding the future
availability of avgas."
Tule River Aero-Industries (TRA), one of the five major
maintenance facilities partnered with SMA in the US completed the
installation of the SR305-230 engine in the C-182 used to complete
testing required by the FAA in seeking the STC. "We have six
confirmed and 15 informal orders," according to TRA Salesman
Sheridan Rambo.
SMA is currently working STC's for Maule and Piper aircraft.
With all the inter-company networking apparent in SMA's STC
success, we wondered if SMA intended to partner with any other
companies in the future.
"We need to be Americanized," said Pelon, "and we would like to
offer a range of products. Both Deltahawk and Superior/Thielert are
recognized names in America, and they both produce lower horsepower
engines. We will definitely seek all opportunities that help us
reach our goals."
Hmmmmmmm... Watch this space!