How do you categorize a seven-place, turbine-powered aircraft in the homebuilt, kit airplane market? There was a time when the thought of an exotically powered homebuilt aircraft fueled dreams – but from a practical standpoint it was an unobtainable apparition for the family man on a budget.

Aerocomp, Inc. now fuels this former fantasy with an airframe kit and turbine propulsion package that will allow many aviators to haul heavy loads at speeds normally only achievable by the sleeker speedsters of the kit aircraft industry. For instance, the Comp Air 7 Turbine can haul useful loads up to 1670 pounds at cruise speeds as high as 280 mph true at 21,000 feet. Those who don't wish to don oxygen can still hustle along at 258 mph true at 12,500 feet.

The Dollar Factor
But at what cost? The beefed-up airframe kit for the turbine installation is priced at $42,995, and a firewall-forward turbine engine package is priced at $45,995. This grouping includes a three-blade constant-speed propeller with full-feathering and reverse-pitch capabilities plus all the gauges, engine controls and cowlings needed to house the 660-shp Walter 601D turbine.

Why so cheap? Well, the engine is "on condition." This means it has reached its recommended overhaul time, and it has likely been removed from some aircraft operating in the commercial world.

Engine Question
So, how well will it hold up in your airplane if it has been removed from a certified aircraft to meet the TBO requirements? My guess: quite well.

You see, commercial operators are always conducting power checks on their engines to ensure the turbine is able to produce at least the normal rated power specified by the manufacturer. When they are factory-new, they are

typically able to produce approximately 5% more than their rated power, and after a few thousand hours, the normal wear and tear typically reduces their output to the rated range.

If an engine drops below the minimum specified power output, you can rest assured a commercial operator will remove this engine and send it to the factory for overhaul. As a result, when you buy one of these engines, odds are you receive an engine that has simply run out of time-but still produces at least the factory rating. Or it's an engine that has dropped slightly below that power minimum. Because it is unlikely that Comp Air 7 pilots will be operating at high power settings (unlike the commercial operators), it is likely that the engines stiff have many hundreds of hours (if not thousands) of good service life left.

Of course, if you ask the engine manufacturer about this, the company will likely tell you the engine should or must be overhauled. After all, overhauls are a source of profits. You decide who should pocket the money.

What You Get for $100,000
Initially, the seven-place Comp Air was piston powered with engines up to 300 hp (this option is still available with a kit price that is discounted $3000). The Comp Air series boasts a 46.5-inch-wide cabin and options for a sport aerobatics version with limit loads of +6/-4 G.

Other choices include tricycle or tailwheel gear, extended-range fuel tanks, an external belly-mounted cargo pod, and a selection of floats.

The turbine-powered Comp Air 7 incorporates a raked windshield to reduce drag and mass-balanced controls. Moreover, the kits include larger and beefier tail surfaces that ensure the power up front is entirely controllable and that the stability profiles are suitable for private pilots.

More attention to drag reduction to increase cruise speeds can be found on the flush-mounted landing gear and on flush-fit Thermopane doors that have an additional benefit of providing a quieter cabin.

There's plenty of panel room in a Comp Air.
This is in one of the piston-powered versions (CA10).

Photos by Howard Levy and Aerocomp Inc.

This model appears to accommodate eight passenger seats
... plus two for the pilots.