Oshkosh, WI, July 24, 2012 - Cessna Aircraft Company (Textron) announced on July 23, 2012 at EAA Airventure Oshkosh, that it has selected the SMA SR305-230E engine to power its Turbo Skylane NXT aircraft.
The Turbo Skylane NXT is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing airplane. The 230-hp engine will give it a cruise speed of 157 knots at 88% power and an altitude of 14,000 ft. It has an operating ceiling of 20,000 feet. Service entry is planned for 2013.
"We are very honored to have Cessna select our engine for this new airplane," said Thierry Hurtes, Chairman and CEO of SMA (Safran group). "The Turbo Skylane NXT and our SR305-230E engine will result in substantial advantages of longer range and lower operating cost per flight.”
Along with the selection of the SR305-230E engine by Cessna, SMA has signed an agreement with Lycoming Engines, the world's leading supplier of piston engines for light aircraft, a division of Avco Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc, to provide support for SMA engines worldwide.
The SR305-230E engine was designed for general aviation, with modern technologies, top performance and high reliability. It addresses the issue of increasingly scarce and expensive Avgas, since it operates on Jet-A, Jet-A1, TS-1 or No. 3 fuel, available around the world. Furthermore, it consumes 30 to 40% less fuel than engines using leaded Avgas.
The SR305-230E engine received FAA certification in April 2011. It has logged over 9,000 hours of testing, which will ensure excellent dispatch reliability for the Turbo Skylane NXT.
