Aero-TV: Newer, Better, Moster, Faster - Darwin Conrad and Rocket Engineering

What Pilot Doesn't Want (Much) MORE From Their Airplane?

MORE! It's a phrase much beloved by those us in aviation as we search for the conditions, modifications or skills that allow us to derive every erg of performance out of the flying machines we love. One of the 'Master of More" is a fellow by the name of Darwin Conrad... a guy who has devoted much of his life to NOT leaving well enough alone. And hundreds of aircraft owners are thanking their lucky stars for that fact.

Darwin Conrad is the President and owner of Rocket Engineering -- he and his company have 25 years of aircraft experience and have been involved in 29 successful STCs. Rocket Engineering Corporation is a company comprised of many talented and highly skilled people. Employees and contractors include fiberglass specialists, A&P mechanics, welders, sheet metal fabricators, and a complete FAA engineering staff with a combined total of more than 100 years of aviation aftermarket industry experience.

Their current mods for the Piper Malibu/Mirage PA46 series, the B60 Duke, the B58 Baron and the B36TC Bonanza are some of aviation's most popular upgrades... in each case converting already accomplished piston airframes and turning them tot he Turbine side of the flying game. His previous efforts in upgrading piston Mooneys with larger powerplants has since been discontinued in favor of the Turbine programs, but hundreds of Mooney drivers swear by Conrad's work... for good reason. The man simply makes good airplanes better.

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FMI: www.rocketengineering.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Rocket Engineering
• Darwin Conrad
• aero-news
• aero-tv
• aviation
• pilot
• PA46
• Piper Malibu
• Piper Mirage
• B60 Duke
• Duke
• B58 Baron
• B36TC Bonanza
• Turbine Converstion
• Upgrade

[gwfreps]

@LTF85199 Yes, a single piston fuel burn vs this isn't a great comparison, but this plane was built to compete with the Baron. This setup will burn less and fly faster than a Baron. Not to mention that it is safer that two piston engines, though some people don't seem to want to agree with statistics.

[gwfreps]

@HDaviator I know a lot of people think it is dumb but the fact of the matter is that this Bonanza is built to compete with a Baron. It will fly faster and burn less fuel than a Baron and a single turboprop is safer than two piston engines. You don't have to fly high to enjoy this airplane but the single turbine gives you the flexibility to fly high over weather that a N/A Baron cannot.

[gwfreps]

@Fedaykin24 The Baron is made by Beechcraft, not Piper.

[hogey74]

Yes please.

[HDaviator]

@pdlip1

Oh I agree, we are talking about a six seat turbo prop twin. A turbo normalized 58 would be make allot more sense to anyone who isn't swimming in cash.

[pdlip1]

@HDaviator

I think you better off with a TAT Turbo Normalized TNIO-550B in a B36TC. No heat issues.

That P Baron does look pretty cool. On the Baron note, TAT is testing a Turbo Normalized a B58.

[pushitgently001p]

B60 turbine Duke that's wot really awesome to see :)

[jolandic]

Nice. nice. Is this moneywise, does it make sense? Those Bonanzas, Dukes, Baron are all really old airframes. How much life do they have?

[worldtravel101]

i want a pt6 in the rental 152 #LOL

[switchgrassfuel]

nice engine. how are the operating costs compared to a Trace engine? I think i want to stick with piston type engines. because I am hoping they certify some of the performance engines on AGE85 Aviation Grade Ethanol. someday i would like a Twin Otter with a couple of Trace engines running on AGE85. the engines are $200,000, but i think it might make fore some of the cheapest operating costs for that plane. and right now operating costs are important to me. AGE85 seems like the best choice.