Upgrade to turbo engines
 

Can anyone tell me how viable it is to upgade a timex normally aspirated 337 to a T337?

NOT
 

I talked with MaryAnne (spelling) at skyrockets, and she said it is just not cost effective. If you look at the cost of doing this, vs buying one that is already Turboed, you will find that you can sell yours and buy a turbo for far less money.

Larry,

I think you are right. Another opinion I got said that the cost of the different exhaust system alone would make it uneconomic.

I guess we will just have to keep looking.

Thanks for the reply,

Rob.

Besides it won't fit in the normal...frame...
 

The normal asp plane has a narrower cowl in the frt and back... than the turbo ones do.. they are wider by about 3 inches... so you would have to rebuild the plane to make it fit... else get a shoe horn to get it in... what most are doing is looking for the older turbos...planes and then putting in the IO-470 or 520's and forgetting the turbo... they will perform much better at lower alt as well as give about the same service level... while being cheeper to maintain... GMAs

Rob, to further demonstrate the economics of a turbo upgrade, take a look at Tornado Alley's turbo upgrade for Bonanza's:

http://www.taturbo.com/

The mod costs $42,950. I don't know of anyone donig this conversion on Skymasters - but as you can see, you're probably better off buying one that has a turbo in it already.

GMAs,

I can see the better performance and cheaper operating cost for a 520 replacement but the same service ceiling . . . . ? ? ? ? ?

Rob.

Certification
 

Rob, it's a certification thing. The P models are only certified to 20K, and riley certainly isn't going to change that part of the certification. Also, at 20K, they have a 10K cabin, so you wouldn't want to go much higher. Others have suggested that if you depressurize a P model, you can go as high as the T models, which is like 30K. Of course that requires the appropriate Oxy system.

Re: Certification
 

Although Dick Hon of Riley said it is something there are investigating. He felt 25K would be an attractive improvement. I don't think this is a very high priority project.

Ain't going to happen
 

As far as going above 20 K ... ain't going to happen pressurized... as the hull limits on the expansive part .... is maxed out... so if you want to go higher... either fly a 737 or shut the press down and go on oxygen... as the hull won't take the pressure... sorry... GMAS