Cessna U-206 Engine Upgrade

[skydivegan 0]

One of the jump aircraft that I operate is a Cessna U-206B which presently has a IO-520 engine that is coming due for an overhaul. I am considering upgrading to an IO-550 but I am not sure that it is worth the $10,000 (CDN) increase in price. A Black Mac prop suitable for the IO-550 has already been installed so I wouldn't have the extra expense of changing props but I am still not convinced that the extra 15HP that the engine upgrade will give me will make up for the amount of money that it will cost over the life of the engine.

I would like to hear from anyone that is or has operated a U-206 for skydiving and has upgraded to the IO-550 engine from the standard IO-520.

[diverdriver 5]

Quote

One of the jump aircraft that I operate is a Cessna U-206B which presently has a IO-520 engine that is coming due for an overhaul. I am considering upgrading to an IO-550 but I am not sure that it is worth the $10,000 (CDN) increase in price. A Black Mac prop suitable for the IO-550 has already been installed so I wouldn't have the extra expense of changing props but I am still not convinced that the extra 15HP that the engine upgrade will give me will make up for the amount of money that it will cost over the life of the engine.

I would like to hear from anyone that is or has operated a U-206 for skydiving and has upgraded to the IO-550 engine from the standard IO-520.

I can not vouch for any cost issues for this engine upgrade. As a pilot who has flown a 206 with the IO-550 I loved it. We were able to go up and down to 12K AGL from SL in a very reasonable amount of time with 5 jumpers. When you get close to the altitude that turbine DZs are going to you become a real competitor even if you can't take 23. I don't know how many loads in the Otter I flew where I was full 23 and had 12 "groups". Man...it's almost painful the length of the jump run. But I digress.

I think the costs are much more managable on this type of aircraft to give that type of altitude rather than trying to go turbine.

I think that's the IO-550s biggest advantage. You aren't comparing the cost of it over the old 520. It's the savings from having to go turbine to compete.

Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

[riggerrob 558]

Tom.
I posed your question to AME Don Bradshaw (occasional jump pilot, fixer of jump planes and float plane specialist, etc.).
Don said "go for it."
Since the Continental IO-550 has the same crankcase as you old IO-520, it is an easy swap.
The IO-550 also shares cylinders and pistons, so the only physical difference is the stroke. The longer stroke enables an IO-550 to develop 15 more horsepower at a lower rpm. The lower rpm (2700 vs. 2850) will reduce noise pollution to keep the neighbors happy. The other advantage is that the IO-550 can pull full power all day, while the IO-520 is time-limited.
Don expects that the IO-550 will shave maybe 4 minutes off each load. That may not sound like much, but it adds up over the summer.
Don estimated the cost of conversion at CDN$7,000.
Don also said that the only reason our Cessna 205 was upgraded to an IO-520, but not an IO-550 is that no STC is available for the larger engine.