BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Sep 2012, 09:43

TAS about 380, GS 400.

I don't care what you think, that is freaking cool! :thumbup:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Sep 2012, 15:07

Username Protected wrote:

That seems overkill, were will you put the fuel?

It felt like overkill on the first few flights but now I am used to it. Like all jets, you have tons of extra power down low so you will have adequate power for cruise at altitude. We can put 269 gal. on board now but will increase that to 300+ pretty soon. Analysis shows we can use 260 knots or mach .72 for max operating speed. Here is a photo of my friend hand flying the jet at FL280 using about 85% max cruise thrust. TAS about 380, GS 400.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 08:19

260 IAS ? 380 TAS, these are high numbers for a piston twin. :bugeye:

Whats VMO on that thing? Whats your fuel burn?

I liked the Single engine turbine conversion I have seen at Osh.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 09:22

Username Protected wrote:

Here is a photo of my friend hand flying the jet at FL280 using about 85% max cruise thrust. TAS about 380, GS 400.

So that thing where if you put a turbine on a front of a Bo you can't exceed the green arc doesn't apply here?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 11:40

I take it that the sweat bands are required minimum equipment when operating in this TAS speed range? Do they come with the aircraft?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 13:53

Username Protected wrote:

260 IAS ? 380 TAS, these are high numbers for a piston twin. :bugeye:

Whats VMO on that thing? Whats your fuel burn?

I liked the Single engine turbine conversion I have seen at Osh.

When certified, the VMO will be 260 IAS or mach 72 which ever comes first. The Aerostar was designed to be strong enough and ridged enough to go fast. Think of it as a jet with piston engines rather than a piston twin. Fuel flow at FL280 is 80 gph at 380 KTAS. It burns about 60 gph at 300 KTAS. We would get much lower fuel flows at FL350 but that requires RVSM certification and increased pressurization which have not yet been incorporated.

The single engine turbine Aerostar at Oshkosh was nicely done. When we find someone to partner with and put the airplane in production, that might be a big seller. In production the twin fanjet would have a 32" longer cabin which is easy to do since it is a constant section fuselage.

Jim Christy

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 13:58

What's the Pressurization differential on the Aerostar?

The Duke is only 4.6psi for now. There's a STC in development for 5.1psi.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 14:20

Username Protected wrote:

I take it that the sweat bands are required minimum equipment when operating in this TAS speed range? Do they come with the aircraft?

Sweat bands are optional. That was a friend-salesman I know. He wears them all the time, even in his little old Cheyenne II.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 14:29

Username Protected wrote:

What's the Pressurization differential on the Aerostar?

The Duke is only 4.6psi for now. There's a STC in development for 5.1psi.

Originally it was 4.25 psi but we did an STC to raise it to 5.5

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 14:53

Username Protected wrote:

Here is a photo of my friend hand flying the jet at FL280 using about 85% max cruise thrust. TAS about 380, GS 400.

So that thing where if you put a turbine on a front of a Bo you can't exceed the green arc doesn't apply here?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 15:32

Username Protected wrote:

...
Fortunately we have all of the original load tests that Aerostar used to certify the airplane. Our engineers have looked at the loads and say 260 KIAS is no problem and maybe we could go as high as 300 KIAS. I have been up to 285 knots in the piston airplane doing the required dive tests after modifying the airframe so I am not worried about flutter either, but we do have to do those tests as well.

I'll never fly mine that fast but it is nice to know how strong it is.

And THAT is why I got an Aerostar!

Glenn

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 19:21

Username Protected wrote:

260 IAS ? 380 TAS, these are high numbers for a piston twin. :bugeye:

Whats VMO on that thing? Whats your fuel burn?

I liked the Single engine turbine conversion I have seen at Osh.

Fuel flow at FL280 is 80 gph at 380 KTAS. It burns about 60 gph at 300 KTAS.

Jim Christy

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Oct 2012, 20:46

[/quote]

That is incredible economy and very good looking too. I thought the photo of the Aerostar with jet engines was photoshopped at first but I did read about this project a few years ago. Just didn't know you were making it happen.

Which engines?[/quote]

Pratt & Whitney 615's, 1460 lbs. of thrust each. We could get by with less and may flat rate the engines at a lower thrust but VMC is pretty close to the piston model and the big engines make for very spirited take-off and climb performance. Here is a photo of the climb performance climbing out of Caldwell ID on a 20 degree C hot day.

Jim Christy

Username Protected · **Posted:** 10 Oct 2012, 13:15

I was curious about the Vmc. I figured with all that excess power one would have to throttle back the good motor. Very sporty performance and about the same fuel economy as the piston version.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Oct 2012, 14:48

Username Protected wrote:

I was curious about the Vmc. I figured with all that excess power one would have to throttle back the good motor. Very sporty performance and about the same fuel economy as the piston version.

I haven't done full aft GC testing but given what I have done I expect VMC to be less than 90 knots at the full aft limit. It is currently 84 on the piston 350 hp Aerostar and the wing stalls before you lose directional control.

I gave some rides during the Aerostar Owner's Association meeting and one of the owners shot this short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZFw8Pb_f2Y
Jim Christy

Aerostar lurkers....