Piston Engine Aircraft for Private Hire
The very first aeroplane a pilot gets his hands on is a Piston Engine Aircraft. You will find Piston engine aeroplanes in flight schools and pilot training academies where students are introduced to these aircraft after their classroom training. Piston Engine aeroplanes make great private charters for businesses and families needing to travel around the UK and the Channel Islands.
Have you ever wondered how an aircraft engine works?
Well, the engine of a piston engine aeroplane works exactly the same way as your car. However, it has some design changes and alterations like a dual ignition system and air cooling for added safety and redundancy. The fuel used in these aircraft is mostly Aviation Gasoline or AVGAS but diesel-powered engines are also making their space in the light category aircraft.
The piston engine is also often known as Reciprocating Engine. One complete cycle of a Piston engine aeroplane engine has 4 stages:
Intake – Where the piston moves downward and the air is sucked into the chamber through the inlet valve
Compression – Where the piston moves upward and the sucked air is compressed
Combustion – Where the air (mixed with fuel) is ignited and an explosion moves the piston downwards again. And,
Exhaust – Where the piston moves upward again and the burned mixture is vented through the outlet valve
The continuous movement of the piston rotates a crankshaft, which is coupled into a gear mechanism that in turn rotates the propeller to produce thrust. Some of the famous piston engine aircraft manufacturers are Cessna, Cirrus, Beechcraft, Diamond, Mooney and Piper. Most piston engine aeroplanes are non-pressurized and may fly up to 15,000 feet with a speed range between 142 mph to 333 mph. The aircraft’s speed depends on several factors like the number of passengers, fuel, cargo and, weather conditions. A piston engine aircraft can accommodate you and 3 other persons including the pilot.
Feeling excited about your next business trip? This time book a Piston engine aircraft and we will be more than happy to make this happen!