A Turbine for Your Cub?
By ANN Correspondent Rob Finfrock
Innodyn Inc., formerly
Affordable Turbine Power, displayed three of the first production
engines at this year's AirVenture, as well as another installed in
a Smith Super Cub. The company was created eight years ago by Chuck
and Charlie Nearhoof with the interest of creating an affordable
and ultra-efficient turbine engine for the experimental aircraft
market.
Due to difficulties with obtaining sufficient financing (a
situation that has since been resolved, according to the company's
website,) three years have passed since the engine's introduction
at AirVenture 2002. Today there are two test aircraft flying (the
Smith Cub, and an RV-4) with a combined 300 flight hours. The
company also has over 4000 engine hours on the test bed, and a
partnership with Firewall Forward of Loveland (CO) to provide
cowling, internal and external airflow management, and installation
instructions to customers.
"Our plan is to beginning shipping the first company production
units at the end of August, beginning of September," said Innodyn
CEO Gregory Grose. "We're going to ramp up very slowly, several
engines per month, until we get a more consistent level by the
beginning of 2006."
Prices will range from $26K to $34K, and the company already has
"about 50 orders in-house," according to Grose.
The engine itself is quite compact, all of 32 inches long, 14
inches in diameter, and weighing 188 lbs. Available horsepower
ranges from 165 SHP to 255 SHP, with no changes in the engine's
external dimensions. The turbine is designed to run on
diesel, kerosene, or avgas, with a patented digital control system
handling engine management chores.
By utilizing an advanced fuel management system, Innodyn is
quoting fuel burn rates of "seven gallons per hour, per 100
horsepower," according to Innodyn's Edmond Pope. "On the flight out
here, we were burning 9.5 at 9000 feet."
Target TBO is 5000 hours, with minimal maintenance requirements
in between-change the gear reduction oil every 500 hours, and an
annual inspection to check the condition of the turbine-- a process
that does not require disassembly.
Innodyn also had the frame of a Smith Bushmaster on display at
Oshkosh, mounted with a prototype of the company's "TwinPack"
dual-turbine motor. Essentially two Innodyn turbine motors geared
through a common gear box, the engine is expected to weigh
approximately 320 lbs and produce output up to 500 SHP.
Innodyn is planning to initially provide all service work
through Firewall Forward and the company's factory in Pennsylvania,
with future plans to develop more service centers and distributors
throughout the country, and eventually the world. The company has
also looked into future certification, and even the STC market.
"We're thinking of forming a relationship with an organization
that lives in the certified world," said Grose. "And
therefore, bring their expertise to us to do something together to
go through the certification process."
"We do want to do it."
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.16.24)
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