Rolls-Royce
has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Texas-based
Mooney Airplane Companyto investigate future RR500 TP-powered aircraft applications. The announcement came after the company officially launched the RR500 TP at EAA AirVenture 2008.
The RR500 TP engine is the fifth new civil engine programme launched by Rolls-Royce in the past 24 months. It features multi-fuel capability, an electronic engine monitoring system, extended time between overhauls and smoothness of operation.
‘We are very pleased to be working with Mooney Airplane Company,’ said Ken Roberts, president of helicopter engines for Rolls-Royce. ‘Mooney is recognised for producing high-performance, feature-laden aircraft and we think the RR500 TP is ideally suited to the Mooney product range.’
The 350 to 450shp RR500 TP is ideally positioned to address the light, fixed-wing general aviation segment and Rolls-Royce’s 10-year market forecast predicts that 2,500 to 3,000 of these light aircraft will be delivered annually between 2010 and 2020.
The RR500 TP is a growth version of the RR300 (launched in 2007 to power the Robinson Helicopter R66), scaled up to deliver increased airflow and power.
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I'd like to know where these are operating in the UK. The report is notably light on this. I wonder why?