Van's Air Force
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Honda Engine
- Thread starter knuther
- Start date
Rotary10-RV
Well Known Member
Honda engine
The question on the Honda engine? Will they bother for such a small market?
There is little doubt that Honda can build an up-to-date aircraft engine. The problem is for it to be worth their while they will need orders from most of the certified manufacturers. Since Cessna is in bed with Teledyne-Lycoming they are unlikely to get much volume. The engine could probably be delivered next week. The legal department probably put the clamps on this one! Low volume sales, high litigation risks, and the FAA are the unfortunate Trifecta against Honda's bringing the engine to market. Can you say tort reform? I knew you could.
rotary10-RV
The question on the Honda engine? Will they bother for such a small market?
There is little doubt that Honda can build an up-to-date aircraft engine. The problem is for it to be worth their while they will need orders from most of the certified manufacturers. Since Cessna is in bed with Teledyne-Lycoming they are unlikely to get much volume. The engine could probably be delivered next week. The legal department probably put the clamps on this one! Low volume sales, high litigation risks, and the FAA are the unfortunate Trifecta against Honda's bringing the engine to market. Can you say tort reform? I knew you could.rotary10-RV
Tandem46
Well Known Member
Honda engine
Did you mean Textron-Lycoming. Teledyne is with Continental, as in TCM, as in Teledyne Continental Motors, who are the ones partnered with Honda to develop the engine. That all aside, you may be right. The Honda engine was at Sun&Fun last year in the TCM tent. The sales rep told me that the engine was on it's third iteration and that Honda was serious about it. I'm going to Sun&Fun again this year and I'll look into it. It may well have been dropped, I know Honda has their hands full right now with the Honda jet.
Did you mean Textron-Lycoming. Teledyne is with Continental, as in TCM, as in Teledyne Continental Motors, who are the ones partnered with Honda to develop the engine. That all aside, you may be right. The Honda engine was at Sun&Fun last year in the TCM tent. The sales rep told me that the engine was on it's third iteration and that Honda was serious about it. I'm going to Sun&Fun again this year and I'll look into it. It may well have been dropped, I know Honda has their hands full right now with the Honda jet.
Rotary10-RV
Well Known Member
tobinbasford said:
Yes, sorry about the slip on the major corporate partners. The main point still stands of course. The Jet is where the profit is, and believe me Honda knows how to spend nine yen to make ten!
Bill Jepson
Tandem46
Well Known Member
Honda engine still alive (I think)
After further research I'm not so sure Honda dropped their piston engine development after all. I spent the last two nights surfing the net and found a bit more info. I wasn't getting anyting at Honda.com, but found some info at world.honda.com. Below is a direct quote:
In addition, Honda has established the Wako Nishi R&D Center in Japan, dedicated to the research and development of aviation engines. This new center will consolidate and strengthen the turbofan jet engine development currently done at the Wako Research Center, and the development of piston aircraft engines currently conducted at the Asaka R&D Center.
Here's another one:
A Compact Jet and a Piston Aircraft Engine
Honda is taking aim at the sky. Two of our recent challenges include the development of a compact business jet and a piston aircraft engine. Honda?s US R&D operation has already created a prototype of the jet, which is entering the test flight phase. Meanwhile, Honda has completed development of a prototype next-generation piston aircraft engine that is expected to be superior in terms of weight, fuel efficiency, power output and exhaust emissions. A market feasibility study to explore the engine?s commercial potential is now underway.
Both of these blurbs are on their current website. This Wako Nishi R&D center is operational, and I find it hard to believe that Honda would put all that money into something like this and not follow through. I need to call TCM in Mobile, but they might be tight lipped and not say anything. I tried to get a phone number for the R&D center but no luck. Maybe someone else would have better luck. It's located in city Wako, Saitama prefecture, Japan.
Tobin
After further research I'm not so sure Honda dropped their piston engine development after all. I spent the last two nights surfing the net and found a bit more info. I wasn't getting anyting at Honda.com, but found some info at world.honda.com. Below is a direct quote:
In addition, Honda has established the Wako Nishi R&D Center in Japan, dedicated to the research and development of aviation engines. This new center will consolidate and strengthen the turbofan jet engine development currently done at the Wako Research Center, and the development of piston aircraft engines currently conducted at the Asaka R&D Center.
Here's another one:
A Compact Jet and a Piston Aircraft Engine
Honda is taking aim at the sky. Two of our recent challenges include the development of a compact business jet and a piston aircraft engine. Honda?s US R&D operation has already created a prototype of the jet, which is entering the test flight phase. Meanwhile, Honda has completed development of a prototype next-generation piston aircraft engine that is expected to be superior in terms of weight, fuel efficiency, power output and exhaust emissions. A market feasibility study to explore the engine?s commercial potential is now underway.
Both of these blurbs are on their current website. This Wako Nishi R&D center is operational, and I find it hard to believe that Honda would put all that money into something like this and not follow through. I need to call TCM in Mobile, but they might be tight lipped and not say anything. I tried to get a phone number for the R&D center but no luck. Maybe someone else would have better luck. It's located in city Wako, Saitama prefecture, Japan.
Tobin
I am just very interested in this for the reason's of thinking about building an RV-8.
I dont own a house yet, still living in an apartment dont own a garage and not married and no kids so i feel like i can afford it now... thats the key word.. now. I dont have my piolts lic yet but my grandfather who is getting around 75 is still flying his 1980 152 that has recently been overhauled and ran thru . This would be a great time for me to get in and build up quite a bit of hours on a plane i will more then likey get down the road but i would love to get an RV and like everything i look to find somthing a little strange weird and above all current trends.
That honda motor sounds like a dream come true and hopefully 2-3 years down the road they will have somthing out.
I dont own a house yet, still living in an apartment dont own a garage and not married and no kids so i feel like i can afford it now... thats the key word.. now. I dont have my piolts lic yet but my grandfather who is getting around 75 is still flying his 1980 152 that has recently been overhauled and ran thru . This would be a great time for me to get in and build up quite a bit of hours on a plane i will more then likey get down the road but i would love to get an RV and like everything i look to find somthing a little strange weird and above all current trends.
That honda motor sounds like a dream come true and hopefully 2-3 years down the road they will have somthing out.
Tandem46
Well Known Member
Honda Engine is Alive
Just got off the phone with TCM out of Mobile. The customer service rep I talked to could not tell me anything new on the Honda engine, but she said it definitely has NOT been dropped. It is currently in the feasibilty study phase. Hopefully at Sun&Fun they can tell us more.
Just got off the phone with TCM out of Mobile. The customer service rep I talked to could not tell me anything new on the Honda engine, but she said it definitely has NOT been dropped. It is currently in the feasibilty study phase. Hopefully at Sun&Fun they can tell us more.
i found this on avweb look at the bottom of the page. also i think he mistyped the power rateing ... 320 instead of 230 i cant see them reaching for 320 out of that engine.
http://www.avweb.com/news/avmail/187877-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/avmail/187877-1.html
Rotary10-RV
Well Known Member
Not without a gear reduction! Direct drive limiting the power to 230 is likely.knuther said:
I really believe the engine is currently running, having worked in the motorcycle world for 14 years, Honda has the capability of building a new engine in months. That doesn't mean that the engine will survive the lawers to be sold.
rotary10-RV
