To Study Business Opportunities For Honda's Next-generation Piston Aviation Engine

Honda Motor Co., Ltd., announced late Monday that Honda and Teledyne Continental Motors, Inc. (TCM) will begin a joint market feasibility study for a next-generation piston aviation engine currently in development by Honda. Over the next several months, the joint study will evaluate potential business opportunities for both parties to work together toward marketing, servicing and manufacturing, and identifying potential product launch customers for such engines for the general aviation market.

The announcement follows approximately two years of cooperation between the two companies on the testing of a prototype Honda designed piston aviation engine at the Mobile, Alabama facility of TCM. Honda's piston aviation engine technologies derive from its research and development of motorcycles and automobiles. With support in the development process based on TCM's aviation expertise and know-how, Honda has developed a prototype piston aviation engine that has achieved the technical potential for being significantly advanced over currently available engines in terms of weight, fuel efficiency, power output and emissions. Honda, TCM and Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, the parent company of TCM, have agreed to conduct a joint feasibility study as the next step in their relationship.

Not much information for an "announcement:"

Company officials and spokesmen wouldn't tell us much about the proposed engine, other than that it is a four-cylinder opposed, watercooled engine that will run on unleaded premium mogas, and will offer "significant" improvements in power/weight and environmentals. It's also a safe bet that it will be a "single-lever" powerplant, utilizing the latest and best of FADEC technology.

A prototype exists, we're told, and 'no photos are forthcoming;' but we had to rely on our ANN News-Spies to get a shot of it.

FMI: http://world.honda.com; www.tcmlink.com