SMA Turbo Diesel from Tule-River Aero

[RRossner]

Gentlemen,
Things are still moving very slow with SMA these days. The French are very methodical in their way of thinking and I have found over the last few years that their short term goals equal to American's long term goals.

Having said that the current hold back w/ regards to further development are as listed below.

1. SMA claims that this engine was not designed to be a pusher, and further engineering will need to be accomplished in order to change this. I'm guessing it’s a bearing issue of sorts.
2. Available aircraft/interest with the current fleet of existing 337's versus the cost of which would be involved for this type of mod, vs. the potential payback for millions spent for the development of the STC.

Not easy questions at this time but there is renewed interest by SMA and we are talking to them about this in the very near future.

[WebMaster]

That's good news, Ron.
I remember that when Skyrocket first proposed this, that there was the queston of the rear engine.

Unfortunately for Thielert, the news is not so good

http://web.thielert.com/typo3/index...._news=1211&L=1

They have filed for insolvency.

[Dave Underwood]

I am not surprised on the news from Thielert as my local maintenance organisation has had no end of problems with the 1.7 litre version of those engines, not to mention the airframes they are mounted in. They maintain about 18 or 20 engines I think at last count in both SE and ME aircraft.

Although a great idea, the execution on these engines has left much to be desired. The list of problems is very long and vary from electrical through cooling systems and include heads and gearboxes as well.

Let's hope our French friends do a better job and produce a better product as we may well need it or similar in the future.

Either that or stop flying which is still not an attractive proposition.

Blue skies = Dave

[Skymaster337B]

There can only be one answer! The government must provide all Skymaster owners new Diesel engines. Everyone else gets hand outs...the poor, the rich oil companies, the bankers who thinks it's ok to lend $600,000 for a 2 bedroom house to people with low credit scores, etc.

How about us airplane owners getting our share of the great government give away.