Ramon Lopez/WILLIAMSPORT
TEXTRON LYCOMING production of piston engines following Cessna Aircraft's decision to revive its single-engined general-aviation (GA), and Piper Aircraft's emergence from four years of bankruptcy protection.
Cessna, a sister company within the Textron group, decided to re-introduce the 172, 182, 206 and Turbo 206 types after 1994's revision of US product-liability rules.
Despite the Textron connection, the engine manufacturer had a tough fight with Teledyne Continental Motors to win its position on the Cessna line-up, says Lycoming president Philip Boob. "We went into a very difficult competition and, by no means was it an automatic win," he says.
When Cessna shut down its single-engine GA production line in 1986, Lycoming units had powered the 172 model, but Contintental engines were installed on the 182 and 206 aircraft.
"We never felt confident that we had any of the business," adds Paul LeFevre, the company's sales director.
"It would have been most embarrassing if Cessna had selected TCM," he admits, but stresses that the work was won on merit.
Cessna's strategy is to build up to a production rate of around 2,000 aircraft by 1998. If Cessna achieves that goal, Lycoming annual production would build from the current 1,200 new engines to about 3,000 says Boob. The firm also overhauls and remanufactures more than 2,000 power plants a year.
The New Piper Aircraft continues to be a major Textron Lycoming customer, and LeFevre hopes that the aircraft makers restructuring will yield new business. Piper intends to deliver 174 aircraft this year, and expects to build as many as 600 annually within five years.
Source: Flight International
