Cessna has made a move into the alternative fuel market by releasing a Jet A version of their turbo 182 Skylane.
Known as the 182 NXT, the new plane is equipped with a Safran-made SMA engine, which Cessna says is the first engine designed for the single-engine piston market to run on jet fuel.
According to Jeff Umscheid, Cessna Business Leader for the C172, 182 and 206, the NXT was developed in response to customer demand.
"Cessna's Turbo 182 NXT delivers a solution that the marketplace has been asking for,” he said. “The 230 horsepower Jet A engine offers customers increased range and greater payload capacity and does not sacrifice performance. This plane offers significantly lower direct operating costs due to the fact that Jet A fuel is typically more affordable and much more widely available.
"Operators can now take advantage of the wider availability of Jet A with the potential to fly farther on one gallon of gas than you can with traditional avgas aircraft. This is a game-changer that opens up new markets and new regions of the world due to its versatility and performance."
The engine drinks only 11 US gallons (41 litres) per hour at the max cruise of 155 kts, compared with the typical turbo 182’s 66 litres per hour. According to Cessna, the engine is quieter and produces no lead or carbon monoxide emissions.
The Turbo 182 NXT has an estimated range at max cruise speed of 1,160 nautical miles and a certified ceiling of 20,000 feet. Fuel capacity is 87 gallons (329 litres), with an estimated useful load of 1,030 pounds (467 kilograms).
Jet A fuel is the standard turbine fuel used in the USA and is similar to Jet A-1, but it has a higher freezing point. Jet A-1, which is the standard for the rest of the world, also contains a mandatory anti-static additive.