MOBILE, Ala. — Continental Motors‘ IO-360-AF (alternative fuel) engine model has received type certification from the FAA.
The 6-cylinder IO360-AF is certified for standard 100LL as well as unleaded 91UL avgas now available in several countries. Flight Design is expected to take delivery of the first certified engine in the second quarter of the year for its four-seat aircraft, the C4.
The IO-360-AF is the first in its class to be certified for alternative fuels, benefitting markets where 100LL avgas is relatively expensive that also has 91UL available, according to company officials.
The lightest of all Continental’s six-cylinder aircraft powerplants, the IO-360-AF offers a maximum power output of 195 horsepower at 2800 RPM and a 2,200 hour Time Between Overhaul (TBO).
Flight Design will use the IO-360-AF engine de-rated to 180 horsepower as required for the C4, producing power at a reduced 2550 RPM, resulting in quieter operation, Continental officials noted.
I would love to see an engine that can use mogas even with ethenol as avgas is becoming so expensive. €2.60 per litre of 100LL €1.20 per litre of mogas. Better still would be a diesel that costs less than a mortgage and doesn’t need the gearbox replaced every few weeks.
This engine was announced almost 4 yrs ago. They lowered the compression ratio (which reduces stresses) on a certificated engine and it took that long to cert this one? Wow. What a technology advance. What a bureaucracy!
Interesting that it has a 2200 hour TBO .
So the question is, as with other Continental engines, will the cylinders last to 2200 hours, or will the engine need a top overhaul at mid time?
I’ve owned 2 airplanes with Continentals and 2 with Lycomings and the Continental cylinders don’t hold up while Lycoming cylinders go to TBO.
Please no lectures on engine management. I have been flying all types of aircraft for 44 years and I am very well aware of proper engine management including shock cooling, proper leaning, EGT and CHT management, lubrication etc. The fact is and other pilots I know that have had Continental engines agree that the typical Continental engine needs a top overhaul at mid time.
In my research, it appears that Continental cylinders WILL hold up longer (sometimes PAST tbo) if the aircraft is flown regularly (daily/at least weekly) as in part 135 operations. The problem with the cylinders is that if they are used by a typical private pilot averaging 50 to 100 hours per year, then premature low compressions are inevitable.
While the Continentals run a little smoother than Lycomings and I applaud Continental for that, I’ll take the Lycoming any day because of the cylinder issue.
Hi, Nate:
I’m not a kazillion-hour grizzled “old guy” pilot with lots of stories. I’m a low-time new guy. My first airplane was Columbia 400. Neither my, nor anyone else’s continental-engined “400” ever made more than four or five-hundred hours without needing a very complete, and very expensive top-end. Rocker arm shafts? Valves and valve guides? Scuffed cylinder bores due to piston-rock? Wrong LR ratio for a low-rpm torque engine?
Can you say crap design from the get-go? But wait! There’s more! This is 50 year-old crap design.
For the money we’re spending, for the trust we invest, we deserve better.
Philip Prieur
Amen Philip.
I rest my case.
What a shame as the Colombia is a great airplane.
In my experience, if a terrific airplane has a Continental stuck on the nose, I just won’t buy it.
I will simply settle for an airplane with similar or close performance if it has a Lycoming.
I agree, — I have an O-360 Lyc in my Skyhawk. It’s bulletproof. My partnered F-33A has the IO-520. We had to top it some 5-600 hrs back and plan to put in an IO-550 — what are your thoughts on the 550?
How about an STC to install this IO-360AF engine in the Cessna 172? There are TENS OF THOUSANDS of them out there – a ready market.
Would like to know the progress on Alternative Fuels for the Lyc O-360 and the Continental IO-520 AND IO-550 engines.
Weight? Injected? Cruise fuel burn?
If they could make a counter-rotating version, maybe it could be used for a Seneca I? Could they make a turbo version of this for the turbo Seneca’s?
Hi Dave, I own a couple of Seneca-1. Could you email me at [email protected] and let me know your email/contact details. I’m trying to figure out alternate fuels/engines for these aircraft too.