It has proven over decades of operation to be the most reliable and affordable (cost vs. capability) special mission platform on the market. Spectrum SA-550: Built by Spectrum Aircraft Corporation of Van Nuys, California, it was an extensive single-turboprop engine conversion of a Reims FTB337G constructed in the mid 1980s. It also converts Beech B36TC Bonanzas into the Turbine Air via installation of a 500 HP PT6A-21. As with the Mark I, cruise RPM is 1810. Yearly maintenance costs [of the Cheyenne] look to be about half or less than a comparable [Beechcraft] King Air. This becomes particularly acute in the relatively small, piston-powered airframes, and their correspondingly small wings and fuel tanks, designed for piston fuel consumption specifics. Nevertheless, persistence has paid off and there are now a number of attractive aftermarket, turboprop conversions of piston airplanes. 2 Kits AvailableKit A 1. Jet A is around $1 per gallon cheaper than avgas, but turbines burn substantially more fuel, so it will always be a major expense. While we sometimes agonize over range and useful load, each of these airplanes has a reasonable tradeoff between cabin load and endurance. What the Aerostar can’t do is achieve an accelerate-stop distance of 4,000 feet at maximum takeoff weight on an 80-degree day. Props are full-feathering and reversing and feature a choice of either a three-blade Hartzell or five-blade MT; we are quite interested in the noise footprint of the latter installation, as we suspect it’s low. For decades, the drumbeat has been steady—turbine airplanes are unobtainium as private aircraft. The least expensive mod to emerge from the Rocket hangar is the TurbineAir, marketed under an offshoot company known as West Pacific Air LLC. Despite turbine engines being significantly lighter than the piston mills they replace, the grim realities of higher specific fuel consumption and heavier fuel mean that the modifiers face a tough task in both finding space to carry sufficient fuel for any kind of range while still being able to carry anything in the cabin. We note that adding significant horsepower to an airplane usually requires beefup to the airframe and examination of flutter margins so it can handle power never intended by the designers. The result is that the light weight of  turbines is offset by the need to carry more, heavier fuel to achieve reasonable range. Inertia Separator System 9. While the couple loved the Aerostar’s fingertip handling and performance efficiency at altitude, the annual maintenance costs were on par with entry-level turboprops, specifically the Cheyenne II. “History has shown that a PT6 will go thousands and thousands of hours with no issues far beyond the factory TBO,” said Steve. Two prototypes are currently in flight test. Cruise speed at 10,000 feet is published at 160 knots while burning 24 GPH, so range and endurance is limited with standard fuel; VFR, with 45-minute reserve, figure on 350-mile range and two hours endurance at 10,000 feet. This gets the Cheyenne to more economical altitudes as quickly as possible and, once there, he can select the power appropriate to the mission of the day. O & N AircraftBy installing a 450-HP Rolls Royce 250 B17F/2 in place of a TSIO-520 on a Cessna P210N and making numerous airframe mods, O & N Aircraft Modifications, Inc., in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, created the Silver Eagle. According to the O&N folks, most owners also opt for Flint tip tanks, adding 32.5 gallons of fuel, for a total usable of 148 gallons. The Cheyenne needs a large T- or gang hangar. Engine TBO is 3500 hours. The Mark I conversion of the Cessna 206 involves installation of a 420 SHP Rolls Royce 250-C20S turboprop. Royal Turbine Duke Specifications. The total conversion cost depends on the engine selected- with the PT6A-21 coming in about $100-000 less – and giving a Duke devotee the potential to own a turboprop twin that’s not a King Air for about $1.1 million… With full fuel (490 pounds), 1335 pounds can be carried in the cabin. End of year MAJOR PRICE REDUCTION. Price to convert an existing P210N is $839,500 and includes an astonishing amount of work on the aircraft beyond the engine installation, such as a Garmin 600 package for the flight deck; new wiring throughout the aircraft; new, heavier horizontal and vertical stabilizer mounts; dual elevator trim tabs; air conditioning and new interior. Filling the 128-gallon fuel system generates a max cruise VFR range, with 45-minute reserve, of about 950 miles and endurance of about 3.9 hours. “Basically, a real turboprop that operates for the cost of a pressurized piston twin.”. A Garmin 530/430 combination with FlightStream 210 provides communications and navigation via a Sandel EHSI and GPS roll steering. Top models include KING AIR 350, KING AIR B200, KING AIR 200, KING AIR C90, KING AIR 350I, and … For instance, Malibu piston:- manages about 210 to 220 knots true … TBO is 3500 hours. Soloy Aviation It’s easy to get the impression that Soloy Aviation Solutions has been doing turbine conversions since there were turbine engines. At the FL270 max operating altitude, the cabin is at 9500 feet. Slowing to piston 206 cruise speed of 139  knots pulls the fuel burn back to 21.4 GPH and bumps the range with 45-minute reserve to 440 miles and endurance, with 45-minute reserve, to 3.4 hours. A highly variable cost is hangars. With 45-minute reserve at max cruise with standard fuel, VFR range is about 850 miles; endurance about 3.9 hours. In the 1980s, Soloy branched into converting the Cessna 206 and 207 to turbine power, doing so for both land and seaplanes. We urge prospective buyers to confirm actual empty weights of delivered airplanes, as cabin payload with full fuel is almost always tight on small turboprops. Minus 10 degrees out? The first flight of the Cessna 172T aircraft took place at the turn of October and November 2015. Recently, the Leffertses had the Cheyenne’s engines’ hot sections inspected to the tune of about $16,000 each, and the looming expense was reflected in the price they paid for the airplane. The new IO-550A engines improve single-engine service ceilings as well as improved rate-of-climb and cruise airspeed. “On the trip to Florida, using that day’s actual winds and actual fuel loads and fuel pricing, the Cheyenne was within 5 percent of the Aerostar in fuel cost and, of course, shorter flight time—all with a hot beverage dispenser and a potty.” The Leffertses praise the general ease of use and simplicity of the Cheyenne as well as its excellent performance for the price. … Thus far, 17 airplanes have been converted to fly at what Rocket shows as a max cruise of 290 knots at FL270. This is a required inspection halfway to the 3,600-hour Pratt & Whitney TBO. Steve’s a classic over-analyzer with an open mind and savvy business sense who has always been an airplane nut. With full standard tanks (no tips), 524 pounds can be carried in the cabin. Both units are serviceable for now and work well for the family’s missions. As with almost any turboprop, to get range and endurance, higher is better. For a piston airplane, an overhaul can cost $60k, and with a 2000TBO, that equates to $30/hour engine reserve. Of course, with a turbine, winds are always a big variable in planning. In return, however, you get runway and climb performance that puts a typical piston twin to shame and vastly increases takeoff safety. It keeps the 3.35 PSI max differential pressurization of the P210 and its max operating altitude of FL230. Operationally, the turbines are far simpler and less temperamental. This could be especially valuable as Soloy is marketing a version of the airplane with a law enforcement package where the ability for low-noise loitering at reduced power could be valuable and might make inroads into the law enforcement helicopter market. Silver Eagle IIO & N recently obtained an STC to carry out its Silver Eagle conversion on non-pressurized Cessna 210s. Known as the JetPROP DL (economy) and DLX (performance) and equipped with a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-21 (550 HP) and -35 (560 HP) engines, respectively, the JetPROP series, at some 268 airplanes in the field, is currently the most popular general aviation turbine modification after the DeHavilland Beaver and Otter series, which aren’t commonly owner-flown and are beyond the scope of this article. While not quite the case, Soloy has been at it for over 40 years, starting with helicopters. Please login below for an enhanced experience. Among the MKII’s many advancements is the upgraded 450 SHP, Rolls … For more than five decades, active and dedicated aircraft owners and pilots have turned to AVIATION CONSUMER to answer their most important buying questions. Obviously it wasn’t … O&N advertises a max cruise for the Silver Eagle of about 220 knots at FL220 while burning 22 GPH. Usable fuel is 151.6 gallons. Two PT6A-35 engines rated at 525 HP are hung on what has long been considered a draggy airframe, turning it into an attractive hotrod. BEST VALUE JETPROP ON THE MARKET! Beechcraft’s King Air B200 is their cheapest King Air in terms of operational costs. A 19-seat twin-engine STOL turboprop developed from the CASA 212, the aircraft first flew in 2017. O&N provides a one-year warranty on all parts they touch in the airframe, with two years on the engine and avionics. Not bad for a six-place airplane, although  it’s not a fill-the-seats-and-fill-the-tanks machine. A Garmin 530W/430W combination is more than adequate for the Lefferts family. With proper engine management … On wheels, you’ll enjoy a gross weight increase to 3,158 lbs. Pratt & Whitney, however, seems to be holding firm. 28 volt Electrical Generator Control System 14. The Colemill Bearcat conversion for the Cessna 310R improves the aircraft's performance significantly. Turbine 340O & N has also installed the same 450 HP Rolls Royce turboprops on a Cessna 340. Something like a Beechcraft Baron 58P can fit into a T-hangar, which minimizes storage costs. High Power DensityThe small size and high power density of turbine engines makes them attractive, as does the increasing difficulty of obtaining avgas outside the U.S. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Engineering designed a PT- 6A-21 conversion for the Beechcraft Bonanza (B36TC). The option is also open to put the airplane on a Part 135 certificate if they purchase the MORE STC. Options include a supplemental cabin heater for cold climates, float adapter kit, heavy-duty landing gear and a choice of two aux fuel systems, a 52-gallon Sierra system or 30-gallon Flint tip tank system that also provides a 200-pound gross weight increase. The Boss 182 engine conversion is the only late-model engine upgrade approved on floats! Royal TurbineThe Royal Turbine is a conversion of the Beech B60 Duke. Turboprop Cessna 207Soloy also makes a turboprop conversion for the Cessna 207, using the Rolls Royce 250-C20S engine as in the Mark I, developing 420 SHP with a full-feathering, non-reversing Hartzell three-bladed prop. Max gross weight is 4000 pounds, with Soloy publishing an empty weight with eight seats at 2175 pounds. Already a member? Published TBO is 3600 hours with the hot section requirement dropped if trend monitoring is used. American Aviation Inc.'s Pitot Cowls provide better intake airflow than the original intakes. And at some $75,000 each, the engines (including turbos, accessories, and labor), aren’t cheap to overhaul at intervals typically less than 2,000 hours. ConclusionTurboprop conversions are not cheap. We sell a variety of Blackhawk-powered aircraft featuring low … Get the latest news on coronavirus impacts on general aviation, including what AOPA is doing to protect GA, event cancellations, advice for pilots to protect themselves, and more. Nope, only corporations and the well-to-do can burn Jet A. Turboprop Cessna 207 Soloy also makes a turboprop conversion for the Cessna 207, using the Rolls … Carrying the full 88 gallons of usable jet fuel (590 pounds) means 1102 pounds in the cabin. The Cheyenne's spacious baggage compartment holds all the family needs. At FL200, the max operating altitude for the Mark I, max cruise is 156  knots with fuel flow at 20.4 GPH, generating a VFR range of 620 miles and endurance of 4.1 hours, each with 45-minute reserve. Oh, there’s still the looming overhaul of two (gulp) turbines, to the tune of $500,000—but, under Part 91 operations, there’s no requirement to overhaul at TBO. Turbine AirNot one to sit on its laurels, Rocket Engineering  doesn’t limit its work to the JetPROP. With the 4000 pound gross weight, about 750 pounds can be carried in the cabin with full fuel, a respectable load. Landing over the same obstacle is published at 1094 feet. The Mark II mod has a Rolls Royce 250-B17/2 developing 417 SHP for five minutes and 322 SHP continuously. Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association Find it free on the store. July 28, 2017 - Soloy Aviation (Booth 18, Main Aircraft Display Area), known for its turbine engine conversions, has introduced its first compression-ignition engined Cessna 182 Skylane, here at … High-speed cruise at FL190 is 260 KTAS on 80 gph and long-range cruise at FL250 is 245 KTAS at 68 gph. On floats, gross weight increases to 3,370 lbs or 3,500 … With 45-minute reserve up high, range is about 1000 miles and endurance about 3.5 hours. Now he has sold his 260-KTAS single-engine turboprop and gets 225 to 232 KTAS from O&N’s new turboprop conversion of the pressurized Cessna 340—and a much lower fuel bill. They removed the nose engine, lengthened the nose, and replaced the rear engine with a turboprop… Airline pilots Steve and Lisa Lefferts found they could own a 1980 Piper Cheyenne II for similar cost as their Piper Aerostar—with the reliability of turbine engines. The M250 turboprop has found popularity due to its small size and high power-to-weight ratio, which make it ideal for Original Equipment Manufacture Type Certified designs and for Supplemental Type Certificate conversions … Gross weight is 4000 pounds; our test flight in 2010 showed an empty weight of 2699 pounds. Double your rate of climb. New Fiberglass Cowlings 6. Conversion with the -35 engines will cost approximately $887,000. Published price for the conversion is $615,000. Generally, until the airframe reaches the size of a TBM 850, it’s difficult to find enough space to carry sufficient fuel to get practical-range out of a turbine-powered airplane with any useful load left for carrying people. Like many airplanes from the 1980s, there is a mix of legacy and modern equipment and avionics. © Belvoir Media Group, LLC. Single-engine turboprops put a dent in that theory starting in the 1980s with the introduction of the TBM series and Piper’s Meridian in 2000. Explore. The latter applies to Lisa as well. American Aviation's Aerodynamic Speed Stacks pull double duty of reducing drag and directing turbine soot away from the airframe. Whether you ascribe that phrase to Robert Heinlein's 1966 … Over Speed Governor 10. Steve said he nearly always climbs at 140 KIAS to turn in climb rates of 2,500 to 3,000 feet per minute. The cost is US$409,900. Amortizing the cost of a small PT6A with a $700,000 purchase price over a 3,600 hour TBO yields ~$195/hour, while an overhaul costing $250,000 costs ~$70/hour. Reduce take off roll by 40%. US$ 4.5 million, US$6.5 million as of 2012. On the glareshield are engine oil cooler, fuel pump (red), plus starter-generator switches (yellow). New Pratt & Whitney PT6A-21 Engine 2. It is also available on amphibious floats. Max cruise at 8000 feet is stated as 167 knots while burning 30.5 GPH, giving basic VFR range, with 45-minute reserve, of 350 miles and endurance, with 45-minute reserve of just over two hours. ☕ 1 min read. Case in point is the experience of Lisa and Steve Lefferts, both airline pilots from Maryland. We like what we see. The conversion can be performed on any version of the 206G (last model with Continental engines), although 1979 and later is preferred due to the 28-volt electrical system and 88-gallon fuel capacity, as well as the 206H series (the Lycoming powered models), excluding those with Garmin G1000 glass panels. In the Lefferts family’s case, the Aerostar couldn’t fit in their local airport’s T-hangars, so storage for the Cheyenne was a neutral cost. You have to look a little harder for shops with Cheyenne experience than for a King Air, but they are out there. From what we can tell from Soloy’s Website, the price for the conversion is similar to that for the 206 conversions. They also offer a similar conversion … Climb rate does peter out in the upper teens, however. In the case of the -28 engines on the Cheyenne II, TBO goes out to 8,000 hours if an engine meets its stringent specs. The Leffertses plan on 575 pounds/86 gallons in the first hour and 475 pounds/71 gallons per hour on subsequent hours at maximum cruise power. The first airplane has been delivered. The piston airplane is only certified on wheels. The conversion … Shorten block-time up to 25%. By the 1980s mod shops were bolting on turboprops in place of reciprocating engines and achieving impressive speeds, despite the challenges of assuring the airframe could handle the horsepower and juggling the fuel/payload equation on the small airframes. For example, marketing literature from O & N Aircraft Modifications, maker of the Silver Eagle turboprop-modified Cessna 210, clearly describes the structural changes it makes as part of its upgrade to the airframe. Decrease landing distance by 50%. Piston airplanes, in general, need more routine maintenance than any turbine. For the budget conscious, one could choose to skip the hangar, but that’ll cut into utility and convenience on frosty mornings, for example. “It’s not a free lunch—you have to keep certain components in tighter specs but complying with the STC, you’re way ahead of the cost of doing an overhaul at the factory TBO.” It should be noted that factory TBO for versions of the Honeywell (Garrett) TPE-331 have been extended to 5,400 hours and beyond as they’ve proven their reliability. The MU–2 has very attractive operating cost numbers with respect to fuel and maintenance, but the market has appreciated and good ones are much more expensive to buy than a comparable Cheyenne. And if you don’t want to thumb your nose at recommended overhaul intervals, there are maintenance plans that theoretically extend the life of many turbine engines by thousands of hours, often to the point that overhaul may not necessarily be a future responsibility for the average owner who only flies up to a few hundred hours per year. This website contains many older reviews. ONLY 30 hrs since Conversion. There were only two practical … The airplane is approved on amphibious floats. Pilots calculate total cost for flying by including an “engine reserve” in their calculations. ADS-B is provided through a Garmin GTX 345 transponder. At $499,000, the airplane has a published cruise speed of 250 knots at FL250 while burning 29 GPH, according to Rocket Engineering. However, one huge tradeoff is altitude: … We have observed the Mark I Cessna 206 conversion in use in the U.S., Canada and Central America. Plus we consider the sheer ability to get up and out because of the extra horsepower to be a significant safety factor. It was warmer than standard and density altitude was 20,000 feet. Price for the basic conversion is on the order of $600,000, although we could not get exact details because the price of the engine fluctuates and, when we called Soloy to discuss this article, CEO Dave Stauffer declined to speak with us. Soloy certified its turbine mod 207 on floats as well as wheels. For those who fly regularly where the avgas supply is iffy or who want a big performance bump and turbine reliability in an airframe that is as familiar as an old boot, these mods are worth serious consideration. At that power, VFR range with 45-minute reserve is about 1000 miles. At gross weight on a standard day at sea level, Soloy publishes 1063 feet for takeoff distance over a 50-foot obstacle, which is consistent with our observations. The TP 100 turboprop engine … We’ve also observed that a Soloy 206 on takeoff is far quieter than a piston-powered 206, something important as population pressure continues to affect airports and lakes. Oil changes every 50 hours or less, 24 spark plugs, four magnetos, vacuum pumps, compression checks—and much more—are seemingly always on the near horizon. After four years of work, the STC was obtained in August 2012. A total of 96 have been delivered. While the Pratts consume a lot more fuel than the Lycomings on their previous Aerostar, the couple enjoys the easy operation, safety, and reliability the turbines bring. Using the optional Flint tip tanks, figure on a 45-minute reserve VFR range of 1175 miles and 5.6 hours endurance, at max cruise. Looking at the DL, the economy version of the JetPROP, climbing to FL250 and operating at max cruise power generates a published true airspeed of 231 knots on a fuel burn of 28.4 GPH. Handling-wise, the Cheyenne won’t be mistaken for the fingertip handling of an Aerostar. Texas Turbine Conversions’ most recent and highly successful STC effort provides Cessna Caravan owners with unprecedented thrust, performance, and efficiency regardless of operating conditions. N963MA is the newest JetProp DLX for sale in … The current crop of turboprops have impressive performance and with additional tankage, short range isn’t the problem it used to be. Preheats are basically required on any starts below freezing. It’s the only twin-engine turboprop on this list, so it burns more fuel than the others at 101.7 gallons per hour, which, at $5 per gallon, is $508.50 per hour. ©2020 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Overhead panels include exterior lighting, anti-ice controls with volt and amp meters. The hourly cost of a turboprop single is $400-$500 less than a very light jet and requires about half the runway length at the tradeoff of only about 300 knots cruise. The Basler BT-67 is a utility aircraft produced by Basler Turbo Conversions of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Not a member? It is a remanufactured … History shows the Douglas DC-3 to be one of the greatest airplanes of all time. The family took a recent trip to Tampa, Florida, and Steve ran the numbers for the Cheyenne versus the Aerostar 700. Endurance, with 45-minute reserve, is about 4.3 hours. The BT-67 is a truly unique blend of efficiency and effectiveness. With the optional Flint tip tanks full, cabin load is 310 pounds. Our experience is that such data can be a trifle optimistic, especially when it comes to cruise speeds and useful loads. On the ground at idle, the Cheyenne burns 30 gph. 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