What about this power plant? you can download the article for those who can read French… 
http://www.mistral-engines.com/content/view/full/184/item/841/offset/0
What about this power plant?
Now that is really unproven technology. Maybe, if the aircraft has a parachute, one could think about it…
mmgreve: saying what you mean and meaning what you say vs wrapping everything so nicely that noone gets the point.
I understand that. But why were you addressing your first comment at the “Germanic/Dutch/Nordic” forum members? I always thought were are the ones who plainly say what we mean with no wrapping up!
my point, exactly – a little wrapping newer goes amiss
Now that is really unproven technology. Maybe, if the aircraft has a parachute, one could think about it…
Innovation is never proven is it..? 
It’s not that new Wankel engines are already years used in self launching motor gliders…
from Wikipedia:
Unless I miss something really obvious, this Mistral Wankel project is [German readers: the biggest waste of money ever | British readers: a rather surprising approach].
An avgas engine that has a higher specific fuel consumption than our 1940s engines has which point exactly? They claim they can make it burn jet fuel in the future but that is probably as difficult as cold fusion.
Going back to the Panthera: I’m not saying it is bad, I am just saying it is not good enough, not innovative enough to be viable. Nokia can try to add one more megapixel to its phone, a new color etc but it is not enough to compete against the established Android/Apple players. Similarly, the Panthera doesn’t offer anything significant that would make attract a sufficient number of buyers. The IO390 was in line with the “efficiency, lightweight” play but the IO540 is a very old and boring engine that lots of old designs have. The C400 doesn’t sell even though it is faster than the SR22 and it is from a more reputable company because it lacks in many other regards (no BRS).
I would either switch to a diesel (or diesel electric) powerplant or stop the Panthera project.
They claim they can make it burn jet fuel in the future but that is probably as difficult as cold fusion.
I asked Mistral about avtur about 3-4 years ago (at EDNY) and they said the engine had run for 50hrs on avtur, but developing it was not a priority for them.
I think it’s fair to expect a new, groundbreaking aerodynamic design like the Panthera to also explore a “modern” powerplant in some shape or form.
I would agree, and I would buy a diesel engine for my TB20 if there was one and had some kind of good reliability record, but an aircraft manufacturer has to take a view of the business risk too.
The Cessna 400 has failed probably because it offers nothing over an SR22 – except a little more speed and a lot more fuel burn. Also it was essentially taken off the market for a few years while they were deciding what to do with it, and they chucked away the momentum. They can’t get back into the market now with that same formula – even Cirrus are in a deep decline compared to their heyday, and they are well established as the leader, with a big disti network, etc.
The Mistral has been around for almost as long as the diesel project in München. And while I might come to more or less trust a diesel, I would be very very reluctant to depend on technology as doubtful and unproven as the Wankel. Scepsis, here, though one has to admit it looks good in html.
Okay…got it…..sorry guys just feeding the topic
Belgian: it’s old story I don’t believe it but it looks good though
German: Waste of money ever
English: Interesting design with some shortcomings…
French: The 2CV gives better performance
well…it’s clear ……
Then that leaves only the Safran engine a chance does it…?..
Then that leaves only the Safran engine a chance does it…?..
No, we now have a choice of engines: Thielert/Technify, Austro and SMA. All three have a good operational history. Additional projects are in the works. Austro also has a small 40kW Wankel engine btw. Whatever the future of small GA propulsion will be, it certainly won’t be an avgas burning Wankel engine. There simply isn’t enough R&D money to bring it to a level where it can compete.
Outside aviation, the Wankel engine got finally completely axed for environmental reasons. The shape of the combustion chamber makes it very hard (or impossible) to meet the current high standards on clean exhaust. The last very promising application of it was an Audi A1 range extender prototype but the project got killed for this reason. In aviation, clean exhaust does (not yet) matter but it’s not big enough to carry the R&D. Therefore: Wankel is as dead as can be.
Austro also has a small 40kW Wankel engine
Indeed that’s the one used in some self launching motor gliders, seems s good solution for this environment less vibration etc…
well …I would already be happy with some add on STC’s s like FADEC and electronic ignition on the existing IOXXXX to improve the fuel/power efficiency
Electro air in the US has some interesting STC’s for electronic ignition:
http://www.electroair.net/index.html
