I am thoroughly pleased with the handling characteristics of the AC 500S as released. I am no Bob Hoover or Dave Womacks but aerobatics in the Shrike are superb. However, just as in real life, we always want more performance for our aircraft. Merlyn Products have been making  after market turbo charger for decades. They have  290HP, 300HP, 320 HP and even a 350HP conversions available. Here is their information on the 320HP conversion:

 

Merlyn Shrike 320 Hp conversion

Merlyn products newest Commander program provides dramatic increases in performance and payload for the 500B, S, and U at a moderate price. The opportunity presents itself as current production Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A engines have become available to us. MPi converts the engines by installing a single high efficiency turbo, new cylinder, valve, and piston assemblies and gives it a rating of 320 Hp. No modification is necessary to the existing airframe and your current HC-C3YR compact hub props are applicable. Along with a host of updated accessories and components, this conversion offers the Commander owner outstanding performance with new parts availability for years to come. If you are looking for versatility, the 320 is the best value for the buck!

 

Some Benefits:

• Low time TIO-540-AE2A turbocharged engines
• Full 320hp @ 18,000 ft.
• 41” Maximum MAP
• 2000 hr TBO!
• Single engine service ceiling to 16,000 ft.
• 450 lb gross weight increase (650 lb with MPi 70 gallon fuel system)
• 204 KTAS @ 12,000 ft. and 70% power
• Increased takeoff and climb performance
• Engines are fully supported Lycoming
• Reliability
• STC SA01212SE

As Merlyn  stated, this makes a huge difference in high altitude operations and climb. It is easy to do in FSX or PD3V3. So that you can have the released version and a converted version, I suggest you copy your entire Commander folder and rename it to Carenado Aero Commander 500S TC. It is very important that you rename the title of each livery by including a TC in its name in the aircraft cfg. Example follows:

 

[fltsim.1]

title=Carenado 500S TC Aero Commander N786E

sim=500S

model=

panel=

sound=

texture=N786E

kb_checklists=

kb_reference=

atc_id=N786E

ui_manufacturer="Carenado"

ui_type=500S TC Aero Commander

ui_typerole="Twin Engine Prop"

ui_createdby="Carenado"

ui_variation=N786E TC

description="500S Aero Commander Merlyn Products 320 HP Turbo System"

atc_heavy=0

atc_airline=

atc_flight_number=

atc_id_color=0000000000

visual_damage=1

 

 

The engine and prop changes are noted below:

 

[piston_engine]

power_scalar =            1.2 // was 1.0                     //Piston power scalar

cylinder_displacement= 91.7                     //Cubic inches per cylinder

compression_ratio= 8.0                          //Compression ratio

number_of_cylinders= 6                          //Number of cylinders

max_rated_rpm=   2575                           //Max rated RPM                                         

max_rated_hp=     320 // was 290                          //Max rated HP                                                

fuel_metering_type= 0                           //0=Fuel Injected, 1=Gravity Carburetor, 2=Aerobatic Carburetor

cooling_type=       0                           //0=Cooling type Air, 1=Cooling type Liquid

normalized_starter_torque= 0.3                  //Starter torque factor

turbocharged=       1 // was 0                          //Is it turbocharged? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE                      

max_design_mp=      41  // was 0                         //Max design manifold pressure, (inHg)                     

min_design_mp=      1  // was 0                         //Min design manifold pressure, (inHg)

critical_altitude=  18000                           //Altitude to which the turbocharger will provide max design manifold pressure (feet)  0000

emergency_boost_type= 0                         //0=None, 1=Water Injection, 2=Methanol/Water injection, 3=War Emergency Power

emergency_boost_mp_offset=   0                  //Additional manifold pressure supplied by emergency boost

emergency_boost_gain_offset= 0                  //Multiplier on manifold pressure due to emergency boost

fuel_air_auto_mixture= 0                        //Automixture available? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

auto_ignition= 0                                //Auto-Ignition available? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

max_rpm_mechanical_efficiency_scalar= 1.0       //Scalar on maximum RPM mechanical efficiency

idle_rpm_mechanical_efficiency_scalar= 1.0      //Scalar on idle RPM mechanical efficiency

max_rpm_friction_scalar= 1.0                    //Scalar on maximum RPM friction

idle_rpm_friction_scalar= 1.0                   //Scalar on idle RPM friction

 

[propeller]

thrust_scalar = 1.1 // was 1.0                             //Propeller thrust scalar

propeller_type= 0                               //0=Constant Speed, 1=Fixed Pitch

propeller_diameter= 6.4                         //Propeller Diameter, (feet)

propeller_blades= 3                             //Number of propeller blades

propeller_moi= 4.0                              //Propeller moment of inertia

beta_max= 45.0                                  //Maximum blade pitch angle for constant speed prop, (degrees)

beta_min= 15.2                                  //Minimum blade pitch angle for constant speed prop, (degrees)

min_gov_rpm=       1900                         //Miminum governed RPM

prop_tc= 0.1                                    //Prop time-constant

gear_reduction_ratio= 1.0                       //Propeller gear reduction ratio

fixed_pitch_beta= 0.0                           //Fixed pitch angle of fixed pitch prop, (degrees)

low_speed_theory_limit= 80.0                    //Speed at which low speed theory becomes blended in (feet/second)

prop_sync_available= 1                          //Prop synchronization available? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

prop_deice_available= 1                         //Prop de-icing available? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

prop_feathering_available= 1                    //Prop feathering available?  0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

prop_auto_feathering_available= 0               //Prop auto-feathering available?  0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

min_rpm_for_feather=                1000        //Minimum RPM for prop feathering                           700

beta_feather= 82.5                              //Feathering pitch angle (degrees)

power_absorbed_cf= 0.9                          //Coefficient of friction for power absorbed by propeller

defeathering_accumulators_available= 0          //Defeathering accumulators available? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE 

prop_reverse_available= 0                       //Prop reverse available?  0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

minimum_on_ground_beta= 0.0                     //Miminum pitch angle on ground, (degrees)

minimum_reverse_beta= 0.0                       //Minimum pitch angle in reverse, (degrees)

propeller.0= 4, -1, -1

Propeller.1= 4,  1, -1

 

 

 

 Please back up your aircraft cfg prior to making the changes!

 

No changes are required to the air file.

 

Enjoy,

 

Greg

 

 

 

Thanks for this Greg, it looks very interesting and is likely the very boost many of us have been wishing for.

 

Cheers,

 

Jerome

Great idea. I will try that the next flying hours.

 

Dan

Thanks Greg.  Do you know what to use for climb power?  I was doing 36" at 2500 rpms.  Then lean mixture around 10k.  Gives me around 150 kias / 2000 fpm at 50% fuel and 1 160 lb pax. (about 5075 lbs)

 

At FL190 I'm doing this:

 

 

Just came to mind that plane might not be pressurized...  Anyone know if it is?

 

Anyway, a pic:

 

No, I believe only the 600 series had pressurization?

 

Martin

Thanks Greg.  Do you know what to use for climb power?  I was doing 36" at 2500 rpms.  Then lean mixture around 10k.  Gives me around 150 kias / 2000 fpm at 50% fuel and 1 160 lb pax. (about 5075 lbs)

 

At FL190 I'm doing this:

 

 

Just came to mind that plane might not be pressurized...  Anyone know if it is?

 

Anyway, a pic:

 

 

At 19,000' you'll be without any oxygen, for sure!

Cheers, Ed

So they advertise performance upgrades that help out of the envelope that the pilot can fly in ? or you just have to carry a personal oxygen mask and bottle? Weird.

Thanks, Greg, for the interesting contribution. I've tried it and the change in power is noticeable, for good!.

Cheers, Ed

So they advertise performance upgrades that help out of the envelope that the pilot can fly in ? or you just have to carry a personal oxygen mask and bottle? Weird.

 

You could also carry a bottle of whiskey and forget the oxygen need!

Cheers, Ed

The Shrike  its not pressurized, with this upgrade you can fly faster and eat less AVGAS, if you want yo fly higher need oxigen mask for sure....

Robert Bernard

Hi Ryan,

 

I am using 36" for climb as well, 32" high speed cruise. As many have noted, the Shrike is not pressurized and supplemental oxygen would be required.

 

Greg

You can also increase the aircraft max weight in the cfg file by 450 lb to carry full fuel with a full load for a much stabler model in turbulence and a quick stopper on the ground if descent and approach are well controlled.

 

I control MfP and leaning with reference to the fuel flow gauge which is quite well marked.

 

 

So they advertise performance upgrades that help out of the envelope that the pilot can fly in ? or you just have to carry a personal oxygen mask and bottle? Weird.

 

Not weird in the least.  My Turbo Arrow IV was designed to be operated well above oxygen levels, as are many non-pressurized turbo charged singles and light twins.  Some came factory equipped with O2 tanks and ports, and some (like my T-Arrow) did not.  This is where portable O2 tanks come in.

 

Scott

Nice to know since I'm just a sim pilot. I think I've only ever seen 1 video of a guy flying with a portable oxygen tank. I know slightly off topic but how high can you go with no pressurization and just an oxy bottle?

Nice to know since I'm just a sim pilot. I think I've only ever seen 1 video of a guy flying with a portable oxygen tank. I know slightly off topic but how high can you go with no pressurization and just an oxy bottle?

 

As high as the aircraft is rated to!

Cheers, Ed

Not weird in the least.  My Turbo Arrow IV was designed to be operated well above oxygen levels, as are many non-pressurized turbo charged singles and light twins.  Some came factory equipped with O2 tanks and ports, and some (like my T-Arrow) did not.  This is where portable O2 tanks come in.

 

Scott

True Scott,

Back in the "day" when general aviation was thriving, there was a company called "SCOTT" (ironic) that make portable O2 setups that would strap on the back of the seat and included a regulator and multiple connections for the the pilot and passengers.  Quite common in those days.