The Lycoming IO-720
engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...
is a large displacement,
horizontally opposed
A flat engine is a piston engine where the cylinders are located on either side of a central crankshaft. Flat engines are also known as horizontally opposed engines, however this is distinct from the less common opposed-piston engine design, wh ...
, eight-cylinder aircraft engine featuring four cylinders per side, manufactured by
Lycoming Engines
Lycoming Engines is a major American manufacturer of aircraft engines. With a factory in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Lycoming produces a line of horizontally opposed, air-cooled, four, six and eight-cylinder engines including the only FAA-cer ...
.
There is no
carburated version of the engine, which would have been designated O-720 and therefore the base model is the IO-720. The IO-720 and the
Jabiru 5100
The Jabiru 5100 is a lightweight four-stroke horizontally opposed flat-eight air-cooled aircraft engine, manufactured by Jabiru Aircraft.
Design and development
The engine is direct-drive and is fitted with alternators, silencers, vacuum pu ...
are the only flat-eight configuration aircraft engines currently in production.
Design and development
The engine has a
fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All com ...
system which schedules fuel flow proportionally to the airflow, with fuel vaporization occurring at the intake ports. The engine has a
displacement of 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres) and produces . The cylinders have air-cooled
heads
A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals m ...
cast from aluminum alloy with a fully machined combustion chamber.
The first IO-720 was type certified on 25 October 1961 to the CAR 13 standard as amended to 15 June 1956 including 13-1, 13-2, 13-3, 13-4.
In 2009 a new IO-720-A1B cost
US$113,621, with a rebuilt engine retailing for US$75,435 and a factory overhaul priced at US$66,289.
Variants
;IO-720-A1A
:Eight-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled direct drive, fuel injection, internal oil jet piston cooling, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , certified 25 October 1961
;IO-720-A1B
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -A1A except equipped with Bendix S8LN-1208 and S8LN-1209 magnetos, certified 22 February 1971
;IO-720-A1BD
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -A1B except has a dual magneto, certified 30 December 1976
;IO-720-B1A
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -A1A except for top exhaust cylinders and offset exhaust valve shroud tubes, certified 4 November 1965
;IO-720-B1B
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -B1A except equipped with Bendix S8LN-1208 and S8LN-1209 magnetos and Bendix RSA-10ED1 fuel injection, certified 22 February 1971
;IO-720-B1BD
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -B1B except has a dual magneto, certified 30 December 1976
;IO-720-C1B
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -A1B except that it has up-exhaust cylinder heads, certified 22 December 1971
;IO-720-C1BD
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -C1B except has a dual magneto, certified 28 January 1977
;IO-720-D1B
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -A1B except has a rear type air inlet housing instead of a front inlet, certified 29 October 1973
;IO-720-D1BD
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -D1B except has a dual magneto, certified 28 January 1977
;IO-720-D1C
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -D1B except equipped with an angled fuel injector adapter, certified 15 April 1982
;IO-720-D1CD
:fuel-injected, 722 cubic inches (11.8 litres), , same as -D1C except has a dual magneto, certified 10 June 1977
Applications
;IO-720-A1A
*
Northwest Ranger - factory installation
*
Piper Comanche 400 - factory installation
;IO-720-A1B
*
Beechcraft 80 - Excalibur and Queen Air conversions
*
Helio Courier
The Helio Courier is a cantilever high-wing light STOL utility aircraft designed in 1949.
Around 500 of these aircraft were manufactured in Pittsburg, Kansas, from 1954 until 1974 by the Helio Aircraft Company. The design featured four leadin ...
- Helio Courier H-800 factory installation
*
Pacific Aerospace FU-24-954
*
Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave
The Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave is a 1970s American single-engined, low-wing, propeller-driven agricultural plane built by Piper Aircraft.
Design and development
The PA-36 was first announced in 1972 as a new version of the PA-25 Pawnee with a m ...
- Johnson Aircraft conversion
;IO-720-A1BD
*
Barr 6
;IO-720-B1A
*
Northwest Ranger C-6
The Northwest Ranger was a Canadian bush aircraft that was under development by Northwest Industries (NWI) of Edmonton, Alberta between 1968-1972. The aircraft was a type certified design, and intended to be supplied as a complete ready-to-fly- ...
- factory installation
;IO-720-B1B
*
Aero Commander
Aero Commander was an aircraft manufacturer formed in 1944. In subsequent years, it became a subsidiary of Rockwell International and Gulfstream Aerospace. The company ceased aircraft production in 1986.
History
Aero was formed in Culver City, C ...
- MR. R.P.M. conversion
;IO-720-B1BD
*
Aero Commander
Aero Commander was an aircraft manufacturer formed in 1944. In subsequent years, it became a subsidiary of Rockwell International and Gulfstream Aerospace. The company ceased aircraft production in 1986.
History
Aero was formed in Culver City, C ...
- MR. R.P.M. conversion
;IO-720-D1B
*
Embraer EMB 202 Ipanema - factory installation
;IO-720-D1C
*
Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave
The Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave is a 1970s American single-engined, low-wing, propeller-driven agricultural plane built by Piper Aircraft.
Design and development
The PA-36 was first announced in 1972 as a new version of the PA-25 Pawnee with a m ...
- Johnson Aircraft conversion
;IO-720-D1CD
*
Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave
The Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave is a 1970s American single-engined, low-wing, propeller-driven agricultural plane built by Piper Aircraft.
Design and development
The PA-36 was first announced in 1972 as a new version of the PA-25 Pawnee with a m ...
- Johnson Aircraft conversion
Specifications (IO-720A)
See also
*
Jabiru 5100
The Jabiru 5100 is a lightweight four-stroke horizontally opposed flat-eight air-cooled aircraft engine, manufactured by Jabiru Aircraft.
Design and development
The engine is direct-drive and is fitted with alternators, silencers, vacuum pu ...
References
{{Lycoming aeroengines
1960s aircraft piston engines
IO-720