I thought it was about time to update everyone on what is new at Malibu Aerospace. Well, for one, the name is new; we are no longer Malibu Power & Propeller, but now,(since November 2007), Malibu Aerospace. We felt that this name better represents what we do and what we can offer to our customers. We’re not just engines and propellers, but have other products and services to offer as well, such as custom interior components, cooling modifications, vacuum system upgrades, custom engineering projects and coming soon; LED landing lights.
Many of our customers continue to be very interested in upgrading to FADEC and we constantly get phone calls and e-mails asking for updates. Well, we are working very hard to finish the FADEC STC and it is working and flying VERY well, but TCM needs to get the engine certified before we can complete the STC, so here we are, waiting for the FAA to grant them the Type Certificate for the FADEC engine so we can finish our job. We are very hopeful that the engine TC will be granted very soon and it is our goal to complete the STC as quickly as possible after that.
In the mean-time, we have decided to work in a couple new STCs while we are waiting to complete the FADEC STC. First, we have started development testing for a Mirage cooling mod to help the Lycoming engine run cooler while you are waiting to upgrade to FADEC. So far, we have been able to cool the engine 10 to 20 degrees during climb and cruise, with no speed or weight penalties. We will continue to work towards even better results, but so far, it is a promising improvement.
The other STC we have been working on is for LED wingtip Taxi/Landing lights and let me tell you, the results are very exciting! Our prototype unit has proven to produce more than double the light output of the HID light upgrades with a much better light pattern. These LEDs are the brightest on the market and with eight little LEDs on each wingtip, very efficient total internal reflection optics and half the power consumption of the original taxi lights, they are the lights of the future. And the best part is… they last over 50,000 hours so you will never have to replace your taxi light again!
We hope to have both of these new STCs available by the MMOPA convention this September, with the FADEC engine upgrade to follow shortly behind. For more infomation on these new projects, check out the “products” page on our website, www.malibuaerospace.com, or contact us here.
Chad Menne
