Exclusive Video from Sun ‘n Fun 2008: <br/>FADEC Coming Of Age?

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Piston aircraft engines have historically required complex manual management (priming, pumping, leaning), contrasting with the digital control common in other modern gasoline vehicles.
  • Continental has certified Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) for its O240 engine, aiming to simplify operation, enhance performance, and improve reliability.
  • AVweb's flight test of a FADEC-equipped Diamond DA20 at Sun 'n Fun confirmed smooth operation and the absence of prior reported faults, showcasing FADEC's benefits like self-diagnostics and its role in leading the industry towards inevitable digital engine control.
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For more than 100 years, piston aircraft pilots have been priming, pumping and leaning their engines to coax maximum performance out of them (or just keep them running). Other types of gasoline-powered conveyances largely ditched carburetion and all that comes with it 10 years ago but aircraft have been slow to adopt digital control of the things that make the prop go around. Continental has certified Full Authority Digitial Engine Control (FADEC) on its 0240 engine and the lessons learned are modestly leading the industry in a direction that seems inevitable. AVweb flew the FADEC demo Diamond DA20 at Sun ‘n Fun and, thanks to software upgrades and other tweaks, there were none of the running faults that have been reported in the past. Not only does the engine run well, it can tell you when it’s not feeling well. In this AVweb Exclusive Video from Glenn Pew, Continental’s Phillip Grice explains the system and its advantages:


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