The Weiss Family wrote:
: Why haven't more companies sought to get STC's for turbocharger/supercharger
: upgrades?
: Is it THAT difficult to get an STC?
Yes... A tremendous about of paperwork, expensive certified engineering,
flight testing, and of course insurance. Once you're done with all that, you have
*one* engine/airframe combination that's applicable. Put the same engine in a
different airframe, and you have to do it all over again. (Well, maybe not all of it,
but a lot of it).

: It seems to me that every red-blooded pilot would love a reaonably priced
: turbo upgrade (in other words, the market demand is there). Automotive
: turbochargers/superchargers are extremely inexpensive (by aviation
: standards), so it is reasonable to assume that they could be built and
: priced relatively cheaply (compared to an engine upgrade, if one even
: exists).
: So, why can't I easily find these upgrades?

Read answer to previous question. The actual cost of the turbo is almost
completely irrelevent. Most aircraft engine technology is based solidly in the
1940's. The engine itself is a 4/6 cylinder lawnmower. Airplane turbos and
automotive turbos are the same technology and only differentiate in price by volume
and liability. A few things are actually more exotic technologies (inconel exhaust
valves, cylinder coatings, etc) by production automotive standards, but most things
are primitive by comparison. Turbos, ignition, fuel injection, cooling, avionics,
etc... all primitive.

The market for "cheap automotive" conversions is there, alive, and well in the
experimental category. Certified aircraft are by definition too expensive to innovate
due to certification and liability costs.

Sad, but true.

-Cory

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* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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