Unleashes - Precision Airmotive

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MILLENNIUM MOMENTUM
VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 4 | $4.95
SUPERIOR AIR PARTS’
MAGAZINE FOR PISTON
ENGINE AIRCRAFT
OWNERS AND PILOTS
PERFORMANCE. ENDURANCE. ADRENALINE.
RACE
ON!
Winter 2007
Scotty Germain Unleashes his XP-400SRE-powered racer at Reno ’06
MILLENNIUM PROFILE:
Aviator, Entrepreneur and Millennium
Cylinder ambassador Gerald Smith
DESTINATION:
Park City, Utah
SHOP TALK:
Wash your airplane
like a professional
Precision Airmotive
Electronic Fuel Injection
And Ignition In Aviation.
The Future Is Now.
COMPLIMENTS OF PRECISION AIRMOTIVE
People often ask why it’s taking so long
for electronic ignition and fuel injection
systems to reach the general aviation
aftermarket. After all, electronic engine
controls have been standard in the
automotive world since the late 80’s.
Well, now that question can be answered:
Introducing Precision Airmotive’s new
Eagle EMS (Electronic Engine Management
System). Electronic ignition and fuel injection
systems have arrived. In development since
1999, the Eagle EMS is an entirely new
electronic engine management system,
which stemmed from requests from
airframe manufacturers as well as from the
experimental aircraft community.
Precision’s Eagle EMS is a “turn key”
system that is designed to replace the
current mechanical fuel injection system
(or carburetor) and the electromechanical
22
| Millennium Momentum | Winter 2007
Reprint courtesy of Millennium Momentum magazine
magneto ignition system. Precision has
designed this system to be as simple as
possible while creating a fully functional,
safe, and reliable ignition and fuel system.
Other companies have introduced what
they refer to as FADEC (Full Authority
Digital Engine Control) systems, however
these systems have a completely different
design philosophy and are much more
complex and costly than the Eagle EMS.
In the Eagle EMS, an Electronic Control
Unit (ECU) controls the fuel delivery,
ignition timing, and firing order. The
primary sensors are manifold pressure,
engine RPM, inlet air temperature, and fuel
pressure. The system also senses throttle
position, barometric pressure, and CHT.
The ECU determines the proper fuel flow
and ignition timing from the available
inputs and commands the injectors and
ignition coils to deliver the proper fuel and
spark at the appropriate time.
Here are some basic things to remember:
the minimum inputs to establish fuel and
ignition control are manifold pressure and
RPM, while all other sensors in the Eagle
EMS are used to correct for environmental
conditions. Barometric Pressure (BAP)
is used to compensate for altitude, Inlet
Air Temperature (IAT) is used to correct
for air density changes, Cylinder Head
Temperature (CHT) is used to provide
compensation for overly cold or hot
cylinders, and the Throttle Position Switch
(TPS) is used to set the system to economy
or best power mode. One additional input,
the Fuel Pressure Sensor (FPS), is used
to compensate for variations in delivered
fuel pressure, which allows the system to
Profile: Precision Airmotive.
operate without a fuel return, so it can
use a wide variety of pumps, including a
standard diaphragm fuel pump.
The Eagle EMS measures all of these
parameters many times per second and
makes continual adjustments. This results
in a far more efficient and smoother
running engine, while minimizing inputs
from the pilot. With a much hotter
spark produced by the high voltage coils,
fowling spark plugs is minimized even
with extended periods at idle. Also, the
hotter spark improves start-ups, which
will decrease wear and tear of your starter,
thus reducing maintenance costs.
Greater efficiency and fuel economy.
Increased fuel economy is the primary
benefit of the Eagle EMS. How? The Eagle
EMS constantly calculates proper mixture
settings at all throttle settings and altitudes
which results in reduced fuel consumption.
Depending on how you fly, a dramatic fuel
savings may be seen, especially on short
local flights such as a training environment
or recreational flying.
By automatically ensuring optimum
fuel/mixture ratios in all atmospheric
conditions, the Eagle EMS eliminates the
need to manually set the engine’s mixture.
The pilot operates only the throttle while
the system automatically determines
and sets the optimum mixture. This is a
tremendous benefit to the pilot as it eases
engine management tasks and increases
safety. One scenario that could be greatly
improved is a go-around at a high altitude
airport. With a standard fuel control
using a manual mixture control, the pilot
must add power and lean during climb out
to ensure maximum performance. With
the Eagle EMS, this function is automatic.
Another key benefit of this proper
operation is less engine and component
wear and tear, reducing maintenance
expenses and aircraft downtime. And
because the engine never operates at
overly rich mixtures, there is reduced
carbon buildup and internal engine
components will stay cleaner.
Speaking of reducing buildup, by
continuously optimizing the fuel/air
mixture, long periods of engine idle
or taxi will not load the engine up or
cause spark plug fouling. Also, because
the Eagle EMS produces a much
hotter spark at idle speed, the plugs
will not foul during prolonged closed
throttle operation (below 1000 rpm),
which is discouraged by some engine
manufacturers for engines with standard
magneto ignitions.
The total system solution.
The Eagle EMS is comprised of seven
primary components, integrated into a
complete fuel and ignition control system:
>>
PRECISION’S EAGLE
EMS CAN BRING
YOUR ENGINE’S OLD
FUEL AND IGNITION
SYSTEM INTO THE
21ST CENTURY.
>>
Throttle Body: This component is
installed in place of the existing fuel
injection servo or carburetor. It consists
of a throttle butterfly valve with throttle
position switch, two inlet air temperature
sensors, and two manifold pressure taps.
Electronic Control Unit: Contains
two independent systems with all the
necessary circuitry and software to allow
control of all system functions. The
manifold pressure sensors are also housed
inside the ECU.
Speed Sensors: Two identical speed
sensors are installed in place of the
existing magnetos. They are driven using
the existing magneto drive gearing.
High Voltage Ignition Coils: Two identical
ignition coils with shielded ignition
harnesses are installed in a location near
the spark plugs.
Fuel Distributor Block: This unit
incorporates a large ten-micron
replaceable filter and two fuel pressure
sensors.
Fuel Injectors: These components are
aviation quality pulse width modulated
injectors, and can be mounted in the
existing injector ports, or in the intake
tubes.
Power Management Unit: The power
management unit continuously
monitors the aircraft electrical system
and maintains the backup battery at
full charge, and automatically switches
to backup power if necessary. The Eagle
EMS draws approximately 1.5 amps at
full power.
Cockpit Annunciator Panel: The
annunciator panel will provide system
status and warnings if the system
switches to backup mode.
With the list price at $7,900.00, the
Eagle EMS will be set up and calibrated on
an engine test stand before delivery. (This
compares very favorably with the price of
new mechanical fuel and ignition systems,
but will lead to additional savings in
operational costs due to increased
efficiency.) Of course, the Eagle EMS
may be installed at any time, but must be
calibrated for the specific engine during
installation. This could happen when a
new engine is ordered, or when an engine
is in for overhaul, as the option becomes
available.
Once the engine is delivered, all
the components of the system will be
installed in locations determined by the
customer. Once installed, measurements
will be noted on a special form and then
sent to Precision Airmotive so that we can
manufacture a custom harness for that
specific installation. This custom harness
is included in the price of the system.
Precision Airmotive has selected: three
partners for Eagle EMS installation; Aero
Sport Power of Kamloops, B.C.; G&N
Aircraft of Griffith, Indiana; and Penn Yan
Aero Service of Penn Yan, New York. ■
To learn more about the Eagle EMS, go to
www.precisionairmotive.com.
Millennium Momentum | Winter 2007 | 23
Reprint courtesy of Millennium Momentum magazine