Continental Motors Reveals Jet-A-Burning Piston Slapper

Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) has unveiled a two-engine project that will bring jet fuel to the light-aircraft industry. The first, a 230-hp four-cylinder engine is expected to be certified next year. A follow-on six-cylinder, 350-hp version could follow as soon as two years later. TCM said the engine program stems from acquired technology — but would not identify which European company the already certified engine technology came from. (According to an article on AvWeb, the TCM engine bears a striking resemblance to the SMA SR305.) Under the license agreement with the original maker, TCM now has free rein to further develop the existing engine as it sees fit. The company has said it expects the new engines to cost not much more than their gasoline-burning counterparts in the same power range. TCM's version is currently undergoing tests on a static test stand and in flight on a Cessna 182 Skylane. Specific fuel consumption (sfc) of the new engines is said to be in the .36 range.