Turbine

[steamgauge]

All the discussion about engines, which one is best, the lack of support, parts and downright skullduggery by some engine manufactures, why hasn't someone tried a Walter turbine (other than cost) what would be the drawback?

[Augustus]

Some gentleman put a turbine in his Zenith CH-701. It sounded good but I'm thinking it had no respect for the world-wide oil shortage . . . You can see it on YouTube.

[steamgauge]

I saw that one some time ago.

[steamgauge]

All the discussion about engines, which one is best, the lack of support, parts and downright skullduggery by some engine manufactures, why hasn't someone tried a Walter turbine (other than cost) better yet an Allison 250, what would be the drawback?

[cowboy]

Turboprop TP 100 180kw=244.8hp $$$$ is an option if it is still available.

[alan]

The gentleman with the turbine powered CH-701 used a starter motor from an A-6. He is also installing one in a RV-4.

[SuperFly]

I was cruising around Camp Scholler in my gator the year the fellow had his turbine CH701 (I was thinking it was a CH750, but it doesnt matter) whenever I have open seats on the gator, I pick people up and give them rides to where ever they are headed. I happened to pick this fellow up that year. We got to talking, and was asking him about the airplane, and the project. He told me that it seemed like a good idea at the time, but it turned in to much, much more of a project than he anticipated. He also told me it is horribly impractical, and the only reason they did it was for the WOW factor. It is very slow to react to power changes which is bad for that type airplane, and it also uses tons of fuel, and the airframe cant feasibly carry enough fuel to make it practical for any real duration flight. He said he enjoys it, but mostly it is just a head turner, not really practical at all. He is a very nice guy, and I appreciated him telling me what he really thought, not just sugar coating it to make it all look good. I have the utmost respect for people like him that will tell you the good and the bad, not the salesman that tells you only the good, and even then spins it to push an agenda or make a sale.

Just thought I'd share what he told me.

[steamgauge]

I think the key is having large enough fuel tanks to feed the beast and as far as spool up time something is amiss there because there are already STOL aircraft with these engines.

[kenryan]

I got to ride in a turbine 206 once (at the time the only one in existence) and the throttle response did indeed seem much slower than a conventional engine.

[steamgauge]

You are correct the spool up time on a turbine is slower, read 'jet engine' it necessitates a different technique for stol landing but that does not negate the advantages.

[moving2time]

Don't most aircraft using a turboprop use the pitch of the blade to add or reduce thrust since a turbine wants to turn RPM's for their power and are known to have a lag in changing those RPM's? I recently spent a day at the float plane base on the north end of Lake Washington and they had many turboprop powered Otters there and they all had variable pitch props on them.

[gme9261236]

The prop pitch is no different than anything piston with a constant speed prop. Through all power changes the pitch remains constant to where you've set it.