Engines – Power

THK THK-2 / MKEK 2

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In 1936, Turkey bought 36 Polish R.24E fighter, simultaneously launching construction of an aircraft factory in Etimesgut near Ankara. The director of the factory became a Pole Jeri Vedrichovsky. The first aircraft built with the help of Polish engineers was the TNK-2 training monoplane. Stanislav Rogalsky, Jeri Telsiye and Leszek Duleba took part in its development. The design team took the RWD-10 as a basis, with several modifications. Preserving the same wooden construction of the Polish prototype. The single cockpit made completely closed. The English DH “Gipsy Major” motor, was also installed on Miles M.14 training aircraft built under licence.

The design and construction of the aircraft took place in 1943-1944 at the Turkish Aviation League (Turk Hava Kurumu).

Designed for aerobatic training, the first prototype of the TNK-2 was airborne in mid-1944. The second prototype took to the air in 1945, showing better performance than the first and the British Miles M.14.

Serial production amounted to only four aircraft that served in the Turkish Air Force until the mid-1950s. In 1952, after changing the name of the company, these aircraft were renamed MKEK-2.

Engine: de Havilland Gipsy Major, 135hp
Wingspan: 8.00m / 26 ft 2 in
Wing area: 10.20sq.m
Length: 7.00m / 23 ft
Height: 2.10m / 7 ft 1 in
Empty weight: 490kg / 1078 lb
Normal takeoff weight: 660kg / 1452 lb
Maximum speed: 265km / h / 164 mph
Cruising speed: 235km / h / 136 mph
Landing speed: 59 mph
Initial ROC: 1710 fpm
Practical range: 700km / 435 mi
Service ceiling: 6000m / 19,685 ft
Crew: 1

Thielert Centurion 4.0

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Thielert Centurion 4.0

The Thielert Centurion is a series of Diesel cycle aircraft engines for general aviation built by Thielert. They are based on heavily modified Mercedes-Benz automotive engines.

All Centurion engines are water-cooled, turbocharged and employ a single-lever digital engine management system (FADEC). This simplifies engine management for the pilot, as well as improving reliability, as it prevents the engine being operated improperly. The series utilizes either jet fuel or diesel fuel. The high compression ratio of the engine combined with the digitally controlled fuel injection system mirrors similar advances in automotive technology.

Centurion series engines are always fitted with constant speed propellers driven through a reduction gearbox. The constant speed propeller and reduction gear result in a propeller tip speed that is 10-15% lower than comparable conventional avgas engines, reducing propeller noise.

The Diesel engine’s high compression results in better fuel efficiency and the higher operating rpm of the Centurion allows higher power to be developed from a smaller displacement, in comparison to conventional aircraft piston engines.

A Centurion engine complete with CSU, reduction gearbox, turbocharger and FADEC engine management system is considerably heavier than the more conventional Continental and Lycoming engines with which it competes, but this weight disadvantage is compensated for by the Centurion’s lower fuel consumption. Even though it lacks the magnetos and spark plugs of the conventional piston engines, the Centurion engines are considerably more complex.

The Centurion 4.0 was designed as a larger engine to replace the 300 hp (224 kW) gasoline engines, this new V8 design produces 350 hp (261 kW) and was developed from the Mercedes-Benz OM629 automobile engine. Initially equipped with two turbochargers, later changed to a larger single turbocharger. Certified only for Jet A & A1. After the insolvency of Thielert in April 2008 all work on the Centurion 4.0 was frozen.

Applications:
Cirrus SR-22 (STC)
Cessna 206 (STC)

Thielert Centurion 2.0

TerryLeave a comment

The Thielert Centurion is a series of Diesel cycle aircraft engines for general aviation built by Thielert. They are based on heavily modified Mercedes-Benz automotive engines.

All Centurion engines are water-cooled, turbocharged and employ a single-lever digital engine management system (FADEC). This simplifies engine management for the pilot, as well as improving reliability, as it prevents the engine being operated improperly. The series utilizes either jet fuel or diesel fuel. The high compression ratio of the engine combined with the digitally controlled fuel injection system mirrors similar advances in automotive technology.

Centurion series engines are always fitted with constant speed propellers driven through a reduction gearbox. The constant speed propeller and reduction gear result in a propeller tip speed that is 10-15% lower than comparable conventional avgas engines, reducing propeller noise.

The Diesel engine’s high compression results in better fuel efficiency and the higher operating rpm of the Centurion allows higher power to be developed from a smaller displacement, in comparison to conventional aircraft piston engines.

A Centurion engine complete with CSU, reduction gearbox, turbocharger and FADEC engine management system is considerably heavier than the more conventional Continental and Lycoming engines with which it competes, but this weight disadvantage is compensated for by the Centurion’s lower fuel consumption. Even though it lacks the magnetos and spark plugs of the conventional piston engines, the Centurion engines are considerably more complex.

The Centurion 2.0 introduced in late 2006. The main difference is a new Mercedes-Benz OM640 engine cylinder block from the Mercedes-Benz A 200 CDI (W169) with a displacement of 1991 cc (83 x 92 mm). Other improvements include a more compact FADEC, a lighter cast gearbox housing, interfaces for glass cockpits and a new service tool that allows the FADEC to be programmed in the field. Dimensions of the Centurion 2.0 and 1.7 are nearly identical and the install kits are compatible, so a 1.7 at the end of its life can be replaced with a 2.0. The Centurion 2.0 is rated for a power output of 135 hp (101 kW), the same as the 1.7, but is EASA and FAA certified for 155 hp (116 kW). It has accumulated more than 1,000,000 flight hours without mechanical failures as of April 2008.

The Centurion 2.0 S 4-cylinder turbodiesel with common rail direct injection and redundant FADEC control offers 155 hp (116 kW), thus providing a clearly perceptible increase in performance compared with the 135 hp (101 kW) Centurion 2.0. Despite of improved performance Centurion 2.0s weighs as much as the Centurion 2.0

Applications:
Diamond DA42 Twin Star
Diamond DA40
Cessna 172 (“F” and later models, modified under a Supplemental Type Certificate)
Robin DR400 Ecoflyer
Piper PA-28 Cherokee

Thielert Centurion 1.7

TerryLeave a comment

The Thielert Centurion is a series of Diesel cycle aircraft engines for general aviation built by Thielert. They are based on heavily modified Mercedes-Benz automotive engines.

All Centurion engines are water-cooled, turbocharged and employ a single-lever digital engine management system (FADEC). This simplifies engine management for the pilot, as well as improving reliability, as it prevents the engine being operated improperly. The series utilizes either jet fuel or diesel fuel. The high compression ratio of the engine combined with the digitally controlled fuel injection system mirrors similar advances in automotive technology.

Centurion series engines are always fitted with constant speed propellers driven through a reduction gearbox. The constant speed propeller and reduction gear result in a propeller tip speed that is 10-15% lower than comparable conventional avgas engines, reducing propeller noise.

The Diesel engine’s high compression results in better fuel efficiency and the higher operating rpm of the Centurion allows higher power to be developed from a smaller displacement, in comparison to conventional aircraft piston engines.

A Centurion engine complete with CSU, reduction gearbox, turbocharger and FADEC engine management system is considerably heavier than the more conventional Continental and Lycoming engines with which it competes, but this weight disadvantage is compensated for by the Centurion’s lower fuel consumption. Even though it lacks the magnetos and spark plugs of the conventional piston engines, the Centurion engines are considerably more complex.

The first product introduced by Thielert, the Centurion 1.7 is a 1689 cc (103 cu.in) engine producing 135 hp (101 kW) is based on the Mercedes-Benz OM668 engine from Mercedes-Benz A-Class A 170 CDI (W168) with 80 mm bore and 84 mm stroke. Until the end of 2006, when production ceased in favor of the Centurion 2.0, more than 1,500 Centurion 1.7 had been built. The in-service record of the 1.7 has been poor, with a combination of design, service and support issues causing widespread customer dissatisfaction, and resulting in Diamond designing its own engines to compete with Thielert.

Applications:
Diamond DA40-TDI Star
Diamond DA42 Twin Star
Apex Aircraft Robin DR400 135 CDI Ecoflyer
Cessna 172 (“F” and later models, modified under a Supplemental Type Certificate)
General Atomics MQ-1C Grey Eagle

Thiele 1910 biplane

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Little is known about this machine, except that it was designed by Ingenieur Erich Thiele, who made some flight tests in with it in 1910, and that “Flugsport” erroneously attributed it to Stefano Amerigo. Early in 1911, Thiele created the “Sächsische Flugzeugwerke” which in November 1911 became the famous Deutsche Flugzeugwerke.

TVAL Sopwith Pup

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The Vintage Aviator has built a series of Sopwith Pup reproductions and their first example was ZK-PPY which was first registered on 9 May 2012 and is painted as N6205 of the RNAS from 1917.

The original N6205 was the mount of FSLT J. S. T. Fall in April/May 1917. He named his aircraft “Betty” after his sister. The above photo was taken at Masterton, New Zealand, on 12 Novembber 2011.

ZK-PPY was originally named “Betty” on both the port and starboard sides.

Somewhere along the line the Fall family became aware of TVAL’s Pup and contacted them to advise that J.S.T Fall had two sisters and he actually painted his other sister’s name on the starboard side of the aircraft. So TVAL changed it and it now bears the name “Phyllis” on the starboard side, as in the above photo taken at Masterton on 23 November 1917.

Thesis Aviation The Sportster

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The Sportster features a see through pylon. First flown in 1997, the 1998 kit price was US$4994.

Engine: Kawasaki 340, 38 hp
HP range: 38-55
Height: 6.9 ft
Length: 14 ft
Wing span: 17.5 ft
Wing area: 82 sq.ft
Fuel capacity: 5 USG
Empty weight: 252 lb
Gross weight: 460 lb
Top speed: 75 mph
Cruise: 62 mph
Stall: 29 mph
Range: 125 sm
Rate of climb: 700 fpm
Takeoff dist: 200 ft
Landing dist: 200 ft
Seats: 1
Landing gear: tailwheel