These turbines can be very long lived, and there is no specific TBO.  This is because the main high speed turbine components of these units are factory listed as "On Condition" and/or 6000 cycles.  They have been known to run for 10's of thousands of hours (and 20,000+ hours in not uncommon).  Although, we do suggest the following conservative and simple maintenance procedures at far lower intervals for any manned aircraft;

During First 40 hours:

@ 5hr intervals, remove and inspect magnetic plug.  Reinstall if clean.

@ 10hr intervals, remove alternator (4 bolts) and squirt 2cc of engine turbine oil onto female square drive in alternator gear (this lubricates the starter drive spline).  Also, remove and check fuel filter in fuel pump (you should be able to blow through the filter).  This filter is a permanent, washable, non-discardable (life serviceable) stainless steel wound mesh filter.  Maintenance only requires periodic cleaning in an ultrasonic bath, w/solvent based cleaners ONLY.

After First 40 hours:

@ 25hr intervals, remove and inspect magnetic plug.  Reinstall if clean.

Remove alternator (4 bolts) and squirt 2cc of engine turbine oil onto female square drive in alternator gear (lubricates the starter drive spline).  Also, remove and check fuel filter in fuel pump (you should be able to blow through the filter).  This filter is a permanent, washable, non-discardable (life serviceable) stainless steel wound mesh filter.  Maintenance only requires periodic cleaning in an ultrasonic bath, w/solvent based cleaners ONLY.

Then Annually:

Perform the 25 hour inspections above.

Drain all engine oil and check for clarity.  If oil remains a clear amber color, it is ok to reuse (replacement is an option).  Oil should normally be changed every 100 hours or 2 years (prevents "oxidation degradation" from atmospheric exposure).

Hot Section: Remove combustor.  Inspect interior for excessive soot and carbon (especially if using #2 diesel).  Clean if necessary.  Remove 6 turbine nozzle retaining screws and remove nozzle from turbine.  Inspect nozzle vanes for burning or rubbing.  If ok, reinstall and safety wire retaining screws.  Reinstall combustor.

These highly modified turbines are sold for "Experimental Use" only, and must be flown in that specific category.  They are not FAA Type Certificated for use in any aircraft within the "Normal Category".

The complete PSRU gearbox with integral adjustable pitch prop hub and composite blades is specifically designed as a Tractor Configuration with a larger forward "angular contact" load bearing installed in the PSRU.  This configuration can be owner converted to a Pusher Configuration, but bearing load directions will change, placing greater loads on the smaller rear "angular contact" carrier bearing, requiring additional gearbox inspections and/or chip detectors.  If a driveshaft is used (ie: BD5 installation), the required outboard load bearing assembly will then take all pusher loads, eliminating the need for increased inspection requirements.

The Output Rotation Direction for all our Hybrid Turbines when viewed looking directly at the female output 1-1/4" spline socket is CW (Clockwise). The TS/TP PSRU gearbox reverses the rotation back to CCW (Counter Clockwise) for NORMAL prop rotation.

For some helicopter rotor systems, a Coupler Clutch is also available to allow complete disengagement during start.  Coupler Clutch costs vary from approximately $400 to $600 depending on configuration desired (bolt pattern and drive spline size).

T62/100 Series:  Approx 10 to 12 gph (gallons per hour) at  cruise settings and 14 to 17 gph at 100% power.

Suggested fuel types are Jet-A, Kerosene, Standard or Low Sulphur Diesel, and Diesel/Gasoline Mix (85/15).  Jet-A and Kerosene are much preferred, and have the highest BTU output.  Kerosene has the highest lubrication value of any fuel and allows lower pump operation temperatures and lower wear.  Standard Diesel smokes substantially and has a very strong exhaust odor (L/S Diesel smokes less).  The 85/15 Diesel/Gasoline Mix further reduces smoke and odor, as well as making cold winter starts much faster with less crank time (reduces load on starter & battery).  One word of CAUTION:  85/15 diesel/gasoline mix is VERY FLAMMABLE.  It is more dangerous than pure unmixed gasoline OR diesel because it readily foams, making it easier to light with more BTU output than either fuel alone.

Worth noting, once any of our "single shaft" Hybrid turbines reach 100% RPM, they remain at that RPM (within their HP limitations).  There is NO RPM chasing as load varies.  Once the turbine is set to full RPM with the "Engine Condition Lever", power is then controlled solely by the prop pitch or collective pitch controls.  The FCU automatically handles all RPM and fuel supply requirements as load (pitch) changes.  This allows a T62/100TP powered aircraft to function the same as a full scale turbine powered aircraft, and is far easier to fly than any piston engined aircraft (ie: similar to a Garrett TPE-331 powered fixed wing or an Allison C20 powered helicopter).

Our mechanical FCU's electric solenoid valves & switches, pressure switches, and miniature enclosed "flyball" governors (speed switch), are all interconnected by simple electrical wiring and stainless steel pnuematic tubing.  There are no EPROMS, MOSFETS, RAM, or computer chips of any kind in our FCU that can become erratic or fail.

Our turbines have NO "electronic" controls to fail (aka: "homebuilt" FADEC).  All our fuel controls are either electric (12V/14V, w/24V optional), or combinations of air and/or mechanical components.  Our mechanical fuel pumps produce 300 to 600psi and are an integral part of the FCU (not a separate component).  "Electronic" controls are subject to age, voltage fluctuations, onboard radio transmissions, and vibration that can cause shutdowns or severe engine damage from overspeeds, endangering the life of the pilot/operator should they fail.

Be aware that even full scale "factory" FADEC electronically controlled aircraft have their own share of failures with very costly results.  Extreme damage is easily caused by wild RPM fluctuations that can severely damage engines, power transmission components and flying control surfaces (main and tail rotor blades, power shafts, bearings, etc).

In 2002, a factory delivered Eurocopter A-Star B3 (purchased by Elilombardia) was a near total loss because of a FADEC failure on it's delivery flight.  It was being ferried from Eurocopter's factory in Marignane, France to Trento, Italy.  The Eurocopter's FADEC failed in flight, causing main rotor RPM limits to be greatly exceeded and all the rotating components were damaged beyond repair.  The pilot was able to successfully fly the B3 manually by "throttle control" (which is very imprecise for turbines originally controlled by governors) and eventually landed safely.  Unfortunately, Eurocopter technicians were forced to replace the entire turbine engine, main and tail rotor blades, as well as both main and tail rotor hubs, tail rotor drive shaft, and the failed unboard FADEC electronic computer. 

Another typical drawback of FADEC electronics is that these systems sometimes warn of FALSE failures.  Because of these facts, Bell Textron is one of the first helicopter manufacturers to have developed a "Manual Mode" that allows their latest FADEC electronic control turbines to be bypassed and governed mechanically without rotor system or engine damage in the event of a FADEC failure.  Another new FADEC version is known as "twin channel", where redundant electronic controls can take over in the event of failure of the first, or even a second FADEC failure.  These multiple redundant FADEC  electronic controls are much more costly to manufacture than homebuilt or improvised FADEC controls (modified stationary engine controls), and are generally only used in the more expensive factory built helicopters available.

Many experimenters have tried using "Woodward/PLC" (Programmable Logic Control) type electronic governors (a type of stationary engine governor), as well as AUTOMOTIVE electronic fuel controls with pulsed fuel injectors and electric fuel pumps running @ 60 to 80psi.  They then claim that these electronic assemblies are a type of "FADEC" unit, which they truly are not. 

Since turbine engines by nature operate with continuous combustion, no turbine engine has ever been designed to function with pulsed fuel injection (automotive or otherwise).  For a pulsed injector to function as close as possible to a continuous flow fuel injector while at full power, the pulsed injector's "Dwell Time" (the time the injector is open, or injecting) would have to be as close to 100% as possible (depending on the flow rate/poundage of the injector used).  In doing so, a pulsed injector's electromagnetic coil, which is designed for reciprocating (piston) engines, can overheat and fail prematurely if maintained at or above 90% Dwell Time.  Once any individual injector coil fails (closed), that section of the combustor will be cooled, and asymmetric combustion will occur, causing a possible flame out, and/or combustor/turbine wheel damage or failure. 

Additionally, when any pulsed fuel injection system is "throttled", decreasing fuel flow to reduce power, the injector Dwell Time must also decrease.  This causes increased "fuel off" injection Dwell Time durations, which can increase combustion pulsations if the injectors are not properly staged or overlapped.  Even if staged, combustion pulsation will still exist, but at a higher frequency.  No turbine combustor has been designed for pulsed combustion.  This type of combustion can easily damage the combustion liner, causing fatigue cracking at liner weld joints over time.  So, as power is reduced, combustor pulsations increase.   

These stationary and/or automotive electronic fuel controls replace the far more reliable and costly "Hydro-Pneumatic" mechanical FCU with continuous fuel injection that we maintain from the original factory design.  If any of the above home made "FADEC" units fail, there is no mechanical backup FCU to allow a safe landing.

The only electric fuel pump we suggest is a simple Boost or Lift Pump, which can help prevent fuel starvation of our high pressure mechanical pump during low fuel situations and/or with remote tank locations (eg; use only the "draw through" type that can not block fuel flow in the event of an electrical pump or main bus failure). 

Most all of these electronic "FADEC" governed T62 series turbines still use the large/heavy, 105lb generator gearbox, an 18lb compressor inlet housing, and a 25lb+ starter assembly.  Their total engine weight can exceed 175lbs complete (without PSRU or prop hub assemblies).  At 75 to 85lbs (similarily equipped), our Hybrid turbines are less than HALF their weight and size with the same power (depending on version).

Should an electronic speed control fail (or electrical bus power is lost), the turbine may quit altogether or it may overspeed (a likely failure mode with home built "PLC" type FADEC units).  In an overspeed condition, engine failure can be instant and catastrophic, making a safe landing very difficult at best.

Even with a TOTAL electrical power bus failure, our Hybrid turbines will continue to run until fuel exhaustion.  This is just not possible with any "electronic" fuel control, including "factory" FADEC units (unless equipped with the latest Manual Mode used by Bell Textron).  It is easily argued that NO other fuel system is safer than a mechanical FCU.

Also, any sudden aircraft fuel pump failure could be extremely dangerous.  GEAR DRIVEN mechanical fuel pumps rarely fail (provided the fuel is properly filtered).  As long as the turbine is spinning, so is the fuel pump.  The failure mode of a mechanical (geared) fuel pump is generally from gear tooth and end plate wear, NOT from electric pump motor failure (which can be INSTANT).  After extensive run time, any noticeable mechanical pump wear would only gradually reduce fuel pressure and power output....giving the pilot/operator plenty of warning over many hours of operation.

There are several more available items, such as optional chip detectors, gauges, and switches.  Any of these additional items can be discussed prior to shipping.