Swiss engineering company Suter has announced its Suter TOA288 engine has passed an endurance test run according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulation section 33.49 for reciprocating engines.
FAR 33.49 is a demanding FAA reciprocating aircraft engine endurance test for manned aircraft piston engines to be certified for use.
Suter performed the testing recently at its facilities in Turbenthal, Switzerland to evaluate durability performance of its 24hp engine that is currently flying on several global UAV platforms.
The Suter TOA288 engine can also be used for non-aerospace applications like APU’s.
Engine performance testing and component inspection were completed after the 150hr FAR33.49 durability test and no issues were noticed with loss of performance or accelerated component wear. The engine was re-assembled with the existing hardware and is scheduled to run additional tests.
The results will help Suter define TBO (time before overhaul) and maintenance schedules for the life of the engine to make sure the engine is reliable and achieves a cost competitive price/hour of engine operation over the life of the engine.
The Suter TOA288 is a twin cylinder, horizontal opposed, air cooled, two cycle engine, using fuel injection, an advanced electronic engine management system and a 1kW starter/generator. Displacement is 288 cubic centimeters. Its power output is17.5kW (24HP) @6500rpm.
The engine was designed in partnership with engine-maker CAE. Suter originally designed and manufactured 2-stroke motorcycles.
