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Tecnam P2008 Turbo


markmn

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Tecnam is exploring the possibility of developing a P2008 with the Rotax 914.

 

This is a market that Flight Design has not explored so we are looking for feedback from CT owners.

 

The main advantages would be for owners using their aircraft for travel and want as much speed as legally possible.

 

The aircraft would be able to quickly and easily climb above the chop into smooth air and fly at the legal 10000ft altitude while maintaining the legal 120 kts calibrated airspeed Per LSA rules. This would translate to approx 147 kts true air speed at 10000ft at a very low fuel burn. This would be a very economical way to travel. we are hoping for 30-35 MPG. This would also be a great option for owners who fly in higher elevations.

 

We understand there will be some prop inefficiencies due to the fixed prop but believe we can minimize this with some new prop technology that is available. The aircraft would be equipped with a ground adjustable prop so it can be individualized for each owners desires.

 

There has been emphasis on weight reduction on the latest P2008s and we expect empty weights will be 20 to 25lbs heavier than the current CTLS with the 912 uls. The 914 is close to the weight of the new 912i.

 

We already have some depositors but would like a few more to get this project moving!

 

please contact me if you have interest.

 

Mark Gregor

Midwest Tecnam Sales

gregorma@bevcomm.net

507-327-9465

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Just saw this video on Dan Johnson's site. It really intrigues me. Why aren't they selling a bunch of these? Seems they should be all over the place. I've always felt that Flight Design had the market sewn up for years but this seems like a worthy competitor.

I'd really have to consider this if I ever went back to an LSA

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3zfJ5sMfaM&feature=player_embedded#at=502

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Saw two on static display at OSH. Very sweet looking planes. The new paint job is slick. More Cirrus than CTLS. Don't know how many they sell though and considering Tecnam's worldwide sales can't figure out why the FD ecosystem in the US seems so much stronger than their's. That made a big difference to me in my purchase decision.

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How about building one and having it spend a month under te control of a few members of this board. You will get the good and bad of the aircraft in short order. Your company just has to leave its feelings with the keys.

 

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It would certainly help at altitude or high density take offs, but will be hampered by a ground adjustable prop. It really needs to be mated with an in flight adjustable prop to use it to its potential.

 

The 912ULS is an $18K engine and the 914 $31K. There are far and few people that have any decent knowledge of the 914 and it takes more care and maint. than the standard 912. There is nothing wrong with the engine and works very well, just go in with your eyes open. You'll need a computer at times to diagnose any problems and will almost certainly need a Rotax trained individual to work on it. I talk to many owners trying to do their own work and untrained mechanics and it's quite frustrating because you have more things going on and parts to consider for maint.

 

I like the engine it just takes a little more knowledge to own one and to maintain it.

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My best friend's rotax is a 914 and the maintenance has been simple to date. The 914 performance with an in flight adjustable prop is phenomenal.

 

It would be painful to have the 914 but be stuck at a single setting. Recently we heard good reports on a flexible DUC prop, maybe there is a path there.

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Flexible DUC is more hype than reality. They have tried flex props over many years. If they were that great they would be what we all had and what was on the market from other Mfg's. When I tested the Sensenich they sent me flexible props and stiffer ones. They all flew the same. Someone would have to show me irrefutable proof about them now that I have already done some test. A conclusive test not an individuals one time use opinion.

 

Kind of like the old Slick 50 oil.

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Why didn't you buy one instead of the CTSW Andy?

 

Good question! Useful load is lower, range is lower, speed is lower, cargo is lower, no BRS. If I was just buying a plane to enjoy flying around the patch and for short distances, the Tecnam is great. The CTSW is better as a traveling machine though, and is still plenty fun to fly.

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I guess the turbo 914 Rotax is a joke also. I don't know about all of you, but i sure wished I had a turbo on my CTLS going into Bryce canyon. It wasn't bad getting out of there but it sure would have given a little more comfort level when near gross wt.

 

Also, any type of glass cockpit is available.

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I am a Tecnam sales representative so I am admittedly a bit biased but I can give you some real input on what its like to fly the P2008 with the 914. Personally I have over 600 hours in the P2008 and about 50 in the turbo.

I understand this is a CT forum and I don't want start any negativity and I don't want to overstep my bounds. I have flown both the CTSW and the CTLS and they are clearly good aircraft.

 

To clear up some previous misinformation the P2008 has a 48 inch wide cabin and a large storage space behind the seats. Tecnam advertises the P2008 as having the largest LSA cabin combination of width and interior space. All P2008s are "parachute ready" meaning a chute can be installed at the factory or anytime in the future.

Tecnam has always been very conservative with their numbers. For example they show 28 or 29 gallons fuel capacity on the P2008. Several times I have put more than 16 gallons in per side. Lasts way longer than my bladder anyway.

This was my first experience flying behind the 914 and it has become my favorite engine. Besides the power which feels like a lot more than fifteen extra horsepower the engine is extremely smooth compared to the ULS. The prop doesn't stop so quick like the ULS during shutdown either. You cant hear the turbo at all and the engine is quieter than the standard engine.

There is definitely more going on under the cowl but Tecnam says the 914 has not been noticeably any more maintenance than the standard 100hp engine and they have a lot of 914s flying. They say a lot of 914 issues are caused by substandard installations in homebuilt aircraft.

The P2008 has always been about 20-25 lbs heavier than a CTLS. The 914 installation came in about three lbs less than the injected engine. The P2008 MTOW is 750 kilos(1650lbs)in many other counties with no changes to the airframe.

As far as flying it we are regularly seeing 12-1500 ft of climb. It easily makes 120kts but the main advantage is being able to maintain that indicated airspeed at higher altitudes which translates to higher TAS. We are still testing props but there is clearly something to the "constant speed effect" propeller. It is not going to perform like a real constant speed prop but we are seeing that some props definitely "unload" much faster at high altitudes than others.

We have and will continue to test several props from different manufacturers who are making props specific to this application. As of now a new sensenich is performing very well but we will approve other brands if it outperforms the sensenich.

I would be happy to give a demo to anyone. It is really fun to fly and would make a great cross country aircraft. It definitely performs beyond what I expected.

 

Mark

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One of the UAVs I fly has used the 914 for years. I love the engine! Very smooth, good throttle response for a turbo, and has great power. We routinely fly it over 30,000 ft pushing a 2600lb airframe with a MT constant speed prop.

 

I'd take a demo ride, can you fly down to Bisbee?

 

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One of the UAVs I fly

Since the FAA has settled on UAS, is industry going to switch over and use that term now? (I won't even pretend that we can get media to stop using drone and switch to anything else.) I see UAS being used more and more.

 

Back on the Tecnam, I've not flown the 914 version but if I ever get Mark cornered I will try :) but if I had enough money to go out and buy any brand new LSA that I wanted, I promise that the Tecnam P2008 would be at the top of my short list. I only flew the 912ULS version for about 20 minutes but it flies better than the FD without comparison. By that I mean the controls are balanced. It's like flying an RV rather than a Piper.

 

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The 914 wouldn't permit you to go much faster ( indicated ) but it allows you to go far higher like 18,000' and it allows you impressive TAS when you do.

 

That is so much range that an in-flight adjustable prop is needed to be efficient both high and low. Without one you can only pitch for best performance at 1 DA.

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