cloudcraft(at)aol.com
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 Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject: Orenda Engine Market |
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| Quote: | That may be true, but the ORENDA project, as conceived by Dick Macoon, was not intended to compete with turbines. They were replacements for the recip fleet. The test airplane was a 685, piston Commander, not a turbo Commander.. They were also certified on the single otter, replacing the geared 1340. jb
| Quote: | | I am not sure if it would have met it's claims, but even if it did, my impression was that the Turbine owners I knew would not buy it! |
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Yes, but ...
While Mr. RPM was making headway with the Commander 685 installation, the major launch customer was Stevens Beechcraft who was going to re-engine the KingAir 90 fleet. The KingAir installation suffered oil foaming and Mr. RPM was able to solve the problem on his Commander before the team working the KingAir test article did. That was just one of the hurdles towards STC'ing the Orenda as an engine replacement.
So yes, the Orenda was to be a turbine replacement. Mr. RPM and I discussed the improvements it would bring the Turbo Commander, though neither of us thought anyone would really do that, the economics of overhaul cost was very attractive.
Judging from the opinions / observations on this topic, Stevens Beechcraft, who projected at least 40 shipsets of engines, couldn't sell the idea in enough numbers to make it work.
Was it the delay in certification? Was it the Ratchet Theory of Aviation (can't go backwards, only forwards)? Was it turbine ego?
I have to put in with Mr. RPM in his statements that a turbine engine loses power the minute it leaves Sea Level ISA (or its flat rating) where a turbo normalized or supercharged piston engine will maintain Sea Level power well into the 'Teens or Twenties. providing far more power aloft.
However, there's something nice about the simplicity of pinwheels spinning on a stick, isn't there?
I was hanging around Mr. RPM's test facility in Marina and Salinas, California in the late 70s /early 80s and know that the then Thunder Engine (precursor to the Orenda) flew on a Turbo Commander, had interest from Israel as an engine for tanks and U.S. Customs for interceptor boats, so presumably that market still exists for the Orenda -- but there's one major element we're not discussing.
AvGas in a boutique fuel and Jet-A, diesel or rotgut kerosene is global. Yes, the Orenda could be set up for Jet-A but that would have been another long process.
Wing Commander Gordon
Life is not simple anywhere. Probably less so elsewhere.
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