from Norm Kirton comes this exciting news of

an Australian First

This beautiful turbojet engine is Australia's first commercially produced turbine engine for use in model aircraft and has just been proudly released by TurboJet Technologies of Perth, Western Australia.

The engine is called the TJT 2500 and is a single-stage turbine, using a centrifugal compressor and axial turbine. The rotating parts run in hybrid angular contact ceramic bearings and the engine is designed and built to international engineering standards ISO9001/9002.

The engine is a very robust unit. It weighs 1·2 kg and runs on a mixture of kerosene and jet oil. The engine will deliver a true 8 kgs of thrust with an exhaust gas temperature of 590ºC. The installed weight of the engine including fuel pump, FADEC, fuel pump battery and all plumbing is only 1·45 kg and the engine uses only one r/c channel to operate.

All aspects of the starting and running of the engine are controlled by means of a FADEC - Full Authority Digital Engine Control (right). The FADEC controls all aspects of the engine's operations from semi-automatic start-up to shut-down. The FADEC is fully and simply programmable by means of the hand data terminal, a small lightweight unit that plugs into the FADEC. This allows the user-programming of all engine operating parameters, and also gives a visual display of temperatures and pressures on start-up and when the engine is running. The FADEC has several in-built safety features that will protect the engine and also ensure the engine is shut down in the event of a major radio glitch or radio failure.

The complete package comes with all batteries, fittings, tubing and hardware to run the engine, all you have to provide is the airframe and radio. The cost of the engine is AUS$4,400·00 including GST and transport to anywhere in Australia.

The engine is available now from Perth RC Models and Hobbies on (+61) 089 328 8986 whose website is featured on the site seeing page. TurboJet Technologies are able to offer to the home jet builder genuine Artes Jet components along with some of their own innovative solutions to problems that beset the home jet builder. They can also supply ready-made parts both mechanical and electronic to bring your home-build project to operating completion.

Every TJT engine is covered by a 6-month warranty on all parts. The TJT test engines have been flown in competition around Australia over the last six months. David Law of Victoria has used one to win two major scale competitions - his F100 Super Sabre is on the cover of the current RCM magazine. David has clocked over 30 flights with his engine to date. Norm Thomas of Victoria has now over 70 flights on his engine and has also won several awards. A TJT 2500 was the most flown turbine engine at the recent Sydney (Australia) Jet Meet.

Our contributor, Norm Kirton, has recently been involved in the test flight of a new turbine-powered model powered by this fantastic new engine and says it is really impressive. Here's Norm with the test model - no wonder he's looking happy!

If you want more information, you can contact Chris of TurboJet Technologies on chrism1@iinet.au 

TurboJet Technologies (+61) 089 478 1877 or after hours (+61) 089 293 2678