Turbo 172?

Salty

Salty

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Salty
I had no idea Cessna was marketing a Turbo Skyhawk. Who in the world is the market for a turbo that goes < 140 knots with < 800 lbs useful load?

Anybody know what they are asking for it?
 
I thought the point of it is that it's a diesel that's able to run on Jet-A, not so much that it's turbocharged (although the turbodiesel does bring the traditional benefits that go along with turbocharging).
 
ChiefPilot said:
I thought the point of it is that it's a diesel that's able to run on Jet-A, not so much that it's turbocharged (although the turbodiesel does bring the traditional benefits that go along with turbocharging).
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I guess. Goes a tiny bit faster, a tiny bit cheaper, as long as you use it as a 2 seater. For $65,000 more money. I'm not seeing the market, but there are many bigger things about the aircraft market I don't understand.
 
Salty- there are some markets where Avgas is very difficult or impossible to find. And even in the US which is by far the best market for 100LL availability, jet fuel is cheaper.
 
100LL availability outside the US can be a problem. The fuel burn on the diesel is about 3 or 4 gph so fuel op cost is cut in half (or more if ya strain some number 1 through a dirty sock).
 
RudyP said:
Salty- there are some markets where Avgas is very difficult or impossible to find. And even in the US which is by far the best market for 100LL availability, jet fuel is cheaper.
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And those markets are looking for a two seat 172?
 
http://cessna.txtav.com/en/piston/cessna-turbo-skyhawk-jt-a#_model-top

Piper has one now too, the "Archer DX": http://www.piper.com/aircraft/trainer-class/archer-dx/

RudyP said:
Salty- there are some markets where Avgas is very difficult or impossible to find.
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Very true. I know a couple from South Africa who just completed a round-the-world trip in their RV-10. By very careful research they were able to plan stops where there was avgas, and even then they almost had to have some shipped to them from another location.

Being able to run on Jet-A is a great convenience -- or a necessity -- in many parts of the world.

Salty said:
And those markets are looking for a two seat 172?
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Yup -- the vast majority of them are being purchased for training fleets anyway.
 
ChiefPilot said:
(although the turbodiesel does bring the traditional benefits that go along with turbocharging).
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Partially true. Because the turbo diesels run way, way higher manifold pressures than spark ignition engines, the turbo runs out of steam a lot earlier. A normal turbocharged aircraft engine will be able to make maximum manifold pressure up into the upper teens or 20s typically (depends on the aircraft) whereas on a diesel they'll run out of steam a lot sooner than that.

So you get some of the benefit, but it's not entirely the same benefit as a turbocharged Lycoming or Continental.
 
Right now, in this country, it's the proverbial lipstick on a pig.
In Africa, South America and the Far East, some of my missionary friends report it's easier to get fuel, but it's still a pig.
There are other aircraft options that provide much more bang for the buck.
 
Salty said:
And those markets are looking for a two seat 172?
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Well, I think it beats a 4 seat paperweight 172 that you can’t fuel. Besides, most 172 missions (especially training) neither need full fuel or full seats.
 
RudyP said:
Well, I think it beats a 4 seat paperweight 172 that you can’t fuel. Besides, most 172 missions (especially training) neither need full fuel or full seats.
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Not being a smart ass, but are people actually buying brand new planes to train in?
 
Salty said:
Not being a smart ass, but are people actually buying brand new planes to train in?
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If by “people” you mean pilot puppy mills owned by or contracted to various airlines and/or governments around the world, or who can take advantage of investment and depreciation tax breaks ... yes.

F’rinstance, UK-based L3 Airline Academy operates a fleet of new, diesel-powered, DiamondStars and TwinStars, among other types, at my home field in Arizona. And you wouldn’t believe how many new or near-new Archer IIIs are buzzing around this area, mostly operated by Oxford Flight Training.

Lufthansa-owned Airline Training Centers Arizona, based at KGYR, trains future airline pilots in F33A Bonanzas, and German Air Force trainees in sleek, powerful Grob G120As.
 
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$65k can buy a lot of avgas, then when you consider you essentially would be using the $65 k comparison to just pay for the difference in price between avgas and Jet a, it's really a lot of avgas, where avgas is available that is.
 
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