News, facts, and comments on the coming revolution for piston-engine aircraft. News of March 09, 2009 New Hybrid Propulsion System For Aircraft Flight Design GmbH, which makes the popular CT line of light sport aircraft (see http://www.flightdesign.com/index.php?page=product&p=35), has announced it will debut in early April, at the Aero show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, a hybrid engine concept for light aircraft. The concept engine is based on 'a well-established certified aircraft engine' mated with an electric booster only used to boost performance for takeoff and climb, according to the company. 'The result is an optimized engine in respect to size, weight and fuel efficiency for cruise,' Flight Design said in a news release, that offers 40 additional horsepower when demanded, or redundant power in the case of fuel starvation. Flight Design has worked for two years with Franz Aircraft Engines (an engine dealer and refitter in Schechen, Germany, see http://www.franz-aircraft.de, to develop the hybrid, which it promotes as a short- to middle-term solution for efficient environmentally friendly aircraft still waiting for readily available electric or hydrogen powered propulsion solutions. Unlike concept cars that never make it to the mass market, Flight Design does have consumers in mind. Flight tests are expected to take place in 2009, in 'an existing airplane,' and the company says preliminary talks with EASA have already taken place to create a realistic pathway to certification. April will show how they have done it, but Flight Design claims they have managed to keep the installed weight low enough to increase the load-carrying ability of small aircraft flying with the system, opening 'new possibilities for general aviation.' The Flight Design MC LSA will be exposed at Oshkosh 2009 in April. It is made out of steel, light alloys and composites. This could be an interesting concept when applied with a small 2-stroke diesel: A 100HP diesel plus an electric booster of 40HP could pull a 4-seater airplane. Whether Avgas, Mogas of Jetfuel, it all depends on the extra weight caused by the battery and electric motor... (AVwebflash 3/9/09 plus DieselAir comments) posted at 4:04 AM

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Mission Statement

Every month: news, facts, and comments on the coming revolution for piston-engines aircrafts between 130 and 400 HP: Retrofitting a diesel engine to run on Jetfuel or Kerosene, reduce Gallons/Hour by some 30%, eliminate ignition systems (magnetos, spark plugs) and their problems, eliminate mixture control, increase TBO to 2,400-3,000 hours, increase performance between 6,000 and 12,500 ft., and drastically reduce Operating Costs.

The letter is intended for piston engines aircraft owners, manufacturers, fleet operators and FBOs, re-manufacturers of engines for these aircrafts, manufacturers of engine components and ancillaries, and all professionals acting in decisions of engine exchange or refitting at TBO, in North and South America, Pacific Rim, African continent, and all parts of the world were Avgas, Mogas, Kerosene and Jetfuel are available.

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