YAKIMA, Washington — CubCrafters has introduced a new lightweight engine for the Carbon Cub.
The new engine is a fixed pitch version of the larger displacement 186-hp fuel injected constant speed prop CC340 engine first introduced by CubCrafters in 2017. For the CC340, CubCrafters started with a standard Lycoming 0-320 engine chassis, but reduced the weight of the engine by more than 50 pounds, while also increasing its output from 150 to 180 horsepower.
The new engine, called the CC363i F/P, offers several advantages over the CC340, according to company officials.
It is fuel injected instead of carbureted, which allows for simpler operation and eliminates the safety concern of carburetor ice during low power operations, company officials noted. In addition, the fuel injection allows more of the waste heat from the engine to be directed to the aircraft’s cabin during cold weather operations, they said.
Another advantage is that the new higher displacement lower compression ratio engine develops almost 5% more horsepower than the CC340, while also being able to use a wider range of fuels, officials said. The company expects that the new engine will be better able to tolerate autogas and the next generation of aviation fuels than similar higher compression ratio engines.
In addition to the typical fixed pitch wood/composite propellers previously offered with the CC340, an option for the new engine are newer ground adjustable propellers, so pilots can optimize the aircraft for climb or cruise missions without having to change to a completely different propeller, company officials explained.
When equipped with the same propeller, the installed weight of the new CC363i F/P engine is seven pounds heavier than the CC340.
Developed as part of a collaboration between CubCrafters and Lycoming, the new CC363i F/P engine is only available from CubCrafters. It is offered exclusively on the E/A-B Carbon Cub series of aircraft, including the EX-2, EX-3, FX-2, and FX-3. The original Light Sport (LSA) Carbon Cub remains powered by the ASTM certified CC340.
CubCrafters officials note that the new CC363i F/P engine is still in the final phases of flight testing. Following the completion of the flight test program, new engines should begin shipping to customers as soon as early October 2022.
The is nothing wrong with a carburetor on an aircraft engine, especially if there is a carb air temp gauge to watch for ice.
The mechanical fuel injection used on aircraft engines is the 60 year old, continuous flow, Rochester system, first used on the 327 Corvette in the early 60’s. It is not a very simple system with a number of pressure adjustments to set properly.
A carb in a high wing Cessna has the advantage of gravity flow – no fuel pump to fail.
And since the fuel is 4 ft higher than the carb, there is a ‘both’ setting on the fuel selector, to use fuel from both tank simultaneously. [ I’ll stick with my ’61 Cessna ! ]
To be truly ‘ modern’, add electronic FE and electronic ignition. But now you will need a backup battery of sufficient A-H capacity to run both systems to keep the engine running for an hour or 2, if the main electrical system fails.
Looks awesome! You should not be able to manufacture and sell a carbureted engine for aviation in 2022. Fuel injection is safer and more efficient. Dear FAA – How about a useful regulation for once that moves aviation technology forward instead of more BS about who can fly a Light Sport.