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Post by Pete Webber on Apr 23, 2018 13:29:26 GMT
Hi seen recently at Gore NZ was this Fu24 in the process of being re-engined to take a new Russian designed V12 diesel engine  ZK-EUC by wiltshirespotter, on Flickr Will be yet another new nose profile for a Fletcher! It was a Walter M601 example before this change, here is ZK-EMG with that fitted...  ZK-EMG by wiltshirespotter, on Flickr |
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Post by delticman on Apr 25, 2018 10:41:50 GMT
ZK-EUC was only fitted with the 400HP Lycoming O-720
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Post by Pete Webber on Apr 25, 2018 10:48:45 GMT
Are you sure, there was a Walter M601 next to it and the chap who talked to me about the new engine was comparing it to the Walter's performance?
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Post by delticman on Apr 26, 2018 9:19:34 GMT
Are you sure, there was a Walter M601 next to it and the chap who talked to me about the new engine was comparing it to the Walter's performance?
The Fletcher ZK-EUC was owned by Robalan Air Ltd of Napier. When Fieldair sold the aircraft to the operators, the 400HP engines were leased. The Fletcher was replaced by an Air Tractor AT-502 (ZK-PTK) which arrived in March 2004 and the Fletcher engine was returned to Feildair shortly after. ZK-EUC was stored at Napier and then sold to Bill Sutherland of Waikaia in November 2006 where it was stored. Bill Sutherland, a director of Phoenix Aviation wanted to explore the installation of diesel engines into a Fletcher. At that time there was only engines available up to 300HP, not enough HP for the Fletcher which required 450 to 550HP.
The diesel engine now fitted to ZK-EUC is a Red A03/V12. It was designed by a Russian Vladmir Raikhlin and first run in 2009. A company had been set up in Germany, Raikhlin Aircraft Engine Developments Gmbh and is now known as RED Aircraft Gmbh. The engine received certification by EASA on 19 December 2014.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3_YWlFrrBo
So at this stage ZK-EUC has not flown and I can see by your photo, a lot of work still has to be done. And if it works, it will replace the Walter M601D-NZ. As no one has converted a standard Fletcher FU24-950/954 to be powered with a small PT6A, it another option but expensive.
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Post by Pete Webber on Apr 26, 2018 9:56:46 GMT
Many thanks Delticman, will be interesting to see how things shake out. Any ideas what the two (? so I was told) stored airframes at Gore are?
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Post by delticman on Apr 26, 2018 10:07:15 GMT
Many thanks Delticman, will be interesting to see how things shake out. Any ideas what the two (? so I was told) stored airframes at Gore are? It's all one step at a time, a bit like the Crusader II being converted at Napier. ZK-DHL and ZK-CDX were in the racks at the back of the hangar where ZK-EUC was. |
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