Cessna Skylane Joins the Jet Set

Tom Benenson

Friday, May 23, 2008 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The SMA SR 305-230-1 diesel engine is a conversion for the Cessna 182, designed to combat high fuel prices by offering 30-40% lower fuel consumption using jet-A fuel.
This 227 bhp turbocharged engine simplifies cockpit operation by eliminating the mixture control and utilizing an ECU for fuel/air mixture, with a mechanical backup system for safety.
The conversion significantly increases the aircraft's range (over 1,100 nm) and is particularly beneficial for owners of older 182s needing an engine replacement, especially in areas where 100LL avgas is less available.

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SMA (Societe de Motorisations Aeronautiques) has a solution to the effect of higher fuel prices if you operate a Cessna 182. Its answer? The SMA SR 305-230-1 diesel engine, designed and developed from scratch as an aircraft engine. The engine, STCed for most Cessna 182Qs and 182Rs, is a horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, turbocharged, air/oil-cooled, diesel engine with a wet sump-oil system, rated at 227 bhp for both takeoff and continuous power at 2200 rpm.

On a hot summer day, Francois Vrana, owner of C-FJTA, one of the first 182/SMA conversions, flew the airplane down to Columbia County, New York, from Montreal, Canada. The conversion was performed by Montreal-based NuTech Associates (nutechassociates.com) and the modified “smile” cowl with openings for the oil and the air coolers makes the mid-1970s 182 look more contemporary than its age.