Steve,
A friend of mine saw a Mirage with a TCM 550 fadec prototype engine when he picked up an aircraft at Piper in Vero Beach last year. Is Piper working on its own conversion also? Can the Fadec engine run on unleaded fuel?

It as to be a complete FF package as its a new engine. When I was lurking on MMOPA last year, I read 1/2 price of a PT6 conversion or about $300k for the STC conversion.

http://www.malibuaerospace.com/sitepages/pid46

As Marc stated it is a complete firewall forward and new cowl modifications. The development is being done by Pat Minger and he has been test flying for a couple years. There is one Mirage and one Malibu that have this engine and are both in Experimental right now. His hangar is right next to mine. The price has not been set yet, I have no financial interest in the project, just happened that he was in the hangar next the one I bought and he and I have discussed Mirage/Malibu’s and the engine issues and operational issues and I gave him some of my Mirage parts.
Continental – pre their acquisition by the Chinese , were slow in assisting in the FADEC STC development, they have been more cooperative as of late. I am unaware if they have any intention of offering the FADEC in a form that would be applicable to Bonanzas. I have been studying the IO-550-R top induction engine as a replacement for my IO-520 in the T-34A. One of my T-34 friends picks up his 550R engined T-34 next month after a 6 month restoration.

No plans for Auto Gas in the FADEC, I have no idea if Piper is planning a FADEC, they changed from Continental to Lycoming in 1990 due financial issues with payments, hence the Malibu/Mirage with the IO-540-AE2A engine.


Steve