South African company unveils new general aviation engine
May 26, 2010, 09:00 pm
A South African general aviation company announced recently it has developed an engine that can run on a number of different fuels.
ADEPT Airmotive's 320T can run on regular unleaded gas, aviation fuel and other, more environmentally friendly, sources of propulsion. Those would include biofuels and liquid petroleum gas.
The engine made its debut on May 17 at Virginia Airport in Durban, South Africa. It was housed in a SA Ravin 500 which was outfitted with special digital avionics.
"Our technology benchmarks South Africa against the finest aviation engineering in the world," said ADEPT chairman Andre Schoeman.
The 320T produces 320 horsepower, although it weighs about 30 percent less than piston engines that boast the same level of performance. The company also uses green methods of manufacturing, which further lessens the environmental impact of the new motor.
In recent years there has been a push toward finding alternatives to traditional methods of powering aircraft engines. Along with environmental concerns, reducing dependence on foreign sources of oil has driven the new interest in different fuels for planes.
Are you covered? Are you overpaying? Find out! Get a Quote Now!
| 
