AMT turbines, still my favorite, old school rules.
09-28-2015, 08:04 PM
#1
AMT turbines, still my favorite, old school rules.
I haven't flown jets in 2 years, time simply hasn't allowed it. A couple weekends ago was the Princeton Jet Rally. I took a couple days and got my Bobcat and my Firebird ready to go. That included running them up at my shop. The Bobcat has an early generation but low time P70 on it. The Jetcat is always reliable no question, but it is an old generation (probably 13 years now) and the spool time is painful. My Firebird has an AMT NL Olympus HP in it. It is an engine that still puts a lump in my throat when I run it. The power, the spool time, it is all amazing.
Fast forward to this past weekend. After flying my bobcat again (the weather ended up kind of crappy in Princeton so I wasn't willing to risk the Firebird) it started the fire in me again.
I had repainted my old CAI Raptor a few years back but never reinstalled the engine and radio equipment. I got that done on Saturday and the first part of Sunday. That Raptor has a 15 year old AMT Pegasus in it. I still have all my scuba tank, ASU etc, so I pulled it all out hoping that the old Peggy would fire up without any issues after years of sitting.
First try and it was running. The spool time even on a 15 year old AMT is still stunning. The power is awesome, and man, I miss that air start. It took me back to my first turbine runs and flights in 2000 where I started with RAM. I have had AMT's for 13 of my 15 years of turbine flying and I have never had an AMT flame out, never had one lose blades or bearings, never had any issues with any of them. I fell in love with AMT all over again.
Yes, they are big, yes, they are heavy, yes, people laugh when they hear scuba tank and propane bottle, but I trust the engines fully.
I have another old airstart Peggy for a Skymaster F5 and honestly, with what the market value is, if I could find somebody that wanted to trade a couple old air start Mercury's for my P70 I'd do it in a second. I'd love to be back to all AMT's again. The Jetcat has been good, and it's only got maybe 14 total hours on it, but I'd still go AMT again if I had that option.
There are tons of really good engines on the market today, I've owned engines from almost every manufacture at this point, I just still love my old school cool and I think I always will
Fast forward to this past weekend. After flying my bobcat again (the weather ended up kind of crappy in Princeton so I wasn't willing to risk the Firebird) it started the fire in me again.
I had repainted my old CAI Raptor a few years back but never reinstalled the engine and radio equipment. I got that done on Saturday and the first part of Sunday. That Raptor has a 15 year old AMT Pegasus in it. I still have all my scuba tank, ASU etc, so I pulled it all out hoping that the old Peggy would fire up without any issues after years of sitting.
First try and it was running. The spool time even on a 15 year old AMT is still stunning. The power is awesome, and man, I miss that air start. It took me back to my first turbine runs and flights in 2000 where I started with RAM. I have had AMT's for 13 of my 15 years of turbine flying and I have never had an AMT flame out, never had one lose blades or bearings, never had any issues with any of them. I fell in love with AMT all over again.
Yes, they are big, yes, they are heavy, yes, people laugh when they hear scuba tank and propane bottle, but I trust the engines fully.
I have another old airstart Peggy for a Skymaster F5 and honestly, with what the market value is, if I could find somebody that wanted to trade a couple old air start Mercury's for my P70 I'd do it in a second. I'd love to be back to all AMT's again. The Jetcat has been good, and it's only got maybe 14 total hours on it, but I'd still go AMT again if I had that option.
There are tons of really good engines on the market today, I've owned engines from almost every manufacture at this point, I just still love my old school cool and I think I always will
09-28-2015, 10:05 PM
#2
Hahaha welcome back to the dark side amigo.....although a diehard AMT fan never truly leaves, just wanders a bit.
Nothing funnier than a new guy whispering...... What the hell is the scuba tank for?
you got a lighter?.....I didn't know you smoked....I don't anymore I need it to light off the engine.
Baaahhhaaaa
Nothing funnier than a new guy whispering...... What the hell is the scuba tank for?
you got a lighter?.....I didn't know you smoked....I don't anymore I need it to light off the engine.
Baaahhhaaaa
09-29-2015, 02:34 AM
#3
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Amen brother !!
I was at a rally this past weekend (OC Turbofest) and while talking with a few of the guys, I was asked why I had a glow driver sticking out of my pocket. (LOL)
Yes... it's heavy... and yes, it's more effort to start. But personally... I think everyone who flys turbines should know what it takes to manually start a turbine. That way... you have better knowledge of what to do when your full auto-start engine isn't doing the right things.
Here's how I start them......
https://youtu.be/Svsw810G5UU
I was at a rally this past weekend (OC Turbofest) and while talking with a few of the guys, I was asked why I had a glow driver sticking out of my pocket. (LOL)
Yes... it's heavy... and yes, it's more effort to start. But personally... I think everyone who flys turbines should know what it takes to manually start a turbine. That way... you have better knowledge of what to do when your full auto-start engine isn't doing the right things.
Here's how I start them......
https://youtu.be/Svsw810G5UU
Last edited by Dr Honda; 09-29-2015 at 09:59 AM.
09-29-2015, 04:20 AM
#4
Bob Violet used to call AMT turbines "iron lungs", which they pretty much were. This bad boy kept running after it sucked in the air line that I had left too much slack in.
If it hadn't been for the hassle of installing/uninstalling them, I would probably still be using them.
Craig
If it hadn't been for the hassle of installing/uninstalling them, I would probably still be using them.
Craig
09-29-2015, 05:38 AM
#5
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They Laugh at me too buddy, But I laugh at them every time their silly electric start turbine fails to start... lol AMT Airstart turbines are still made today, still run with the most reliability record in the history of model turbines.. Go AMT! 
AMT Airstart turbines are still made today, still run with the most reliability record in the history of model turbines.. Go AMT!
Last edited by Delta Mike; 09-29-2015 at 05:46 AM.
09-29-2015, 06:45 AM
#6
Have run many over the years... Awesome engines. Still running. We got a 1998 Mercury got second hand from Dennis Lott, ( and we all know how tender Dennis fly's ) in aprox 2001, and we're still flying the heck out of it and it has never been sent on once for anything... Not even bearings... To this day there is not a better engine made ( Hardware wise ). If you can live with the weight, and no bells and whistles you cannot beat it. B.V. had it right when he called it the Iron Lung !!
BTW, There are only a handful of real Iron Lungs left in use today. They served there purpose well in there time in history. The people that have had to use the Iron Lungs for many years die from old age, not mechanical failure of the Lung... I think B.V. tagged it pretty good...
Danno
BTW, There are only a handful of real Iron Lungs left in use today. They served there purpose well in there time in history. The people that have had to use the Iron Lungs for many years die from old age, not mechanical failure of the Lung... I think B.V. tagged it pretty good...
Danno
09-29-2015, 07:55 AM
#7
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Hahaha welcome back to the dark side amigo.....although a diehard AMT fan never truly leaves, just wanders a bit.
Nothing funnier than a new guy whispering...... What the hell is the scuba tank for?
you got a lighter?.....I didn't know you smoked....I don't anymore I need it to light off the engine.
Baaahhhaaaa
Nothing funnier than a new guy whispering...... What the hell is the scuba tank for?
you got a lighter?.....I didn't know you smoked....I don't anymore I need it to light off the engine.
Baaahhhaaaa
AMT 180 on a cheap Falcon 120, while I was 4 pounds heavyer than the 3 othere falcon 120's at my feild with there K80, Rabbit, etc in the air, they were not much faster, it was hard to tell much diffrance between them, but they all got a giggle when I pull out my little 2.5gal air compressor to get them started.
Heck I picked up an Sweet AMT 450 from this site for a whole $750 its only spinning 110k around 43 pounds but it makes my Velox XL run like a beast!
Im looking for a good Peggey now for my Byron F20, I cant belive this thing can fly ( looking at it makes me think of a line in a EMINEM song, (how you going to breast feed me mom when you got no T##$, this thing got no wings LOL)
Last edited by mikes68charger; 09-29-2015 at 08:32 PM.
09-29-2015, 08:01 AM
#8
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i actually have a new less than 1 hour runtime old school Olympus to spare, if anyone's interested.
i have 2 and there are power beasts, one can go to another owner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogvwk44-rfY
i have 2 and there are power beasts, one can go to another owner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogvwk44-rfY
Last edited by i3dm; 09-29-2015 at 08:07 AM.
09-29-2015, 08:19 AM
#9
My first AMT was a new AMT USA Pegasus (way back in the day when the USA engines were basically the same as the NL engines. Since then I've had 5 or 6 old generation airstart Pegasus engines, 3 Mercury's, an AT450, and an AMT NL Olympus HP.
I have foolishly sold AMT engines in the past to buy new generation engines from other manufactures (not that buying other manufacture engines was foolish, they have almost all worked solidly, it was foolish to sell the AMT's) but I still have 2 Peggy's and my Olympus HP. Like I say, I would love to convert my bobcat to a Mercury. Not that the jetcat doesn't work well on it, it really does, it would just be nice to have all one brand of engine again.
Might have to buy an aluminum scuba tank finally though, the older I get the heavier that old scuba tank feels.
I have foolishly sold AMT engines in the past to buy new generation engines from other manufactures (not that buying other manufacture engines was foolish, they have almost all worked solidly, it was foolish to sell the AMT's) but I still have 2 Peggy's and my Olympus HP. Like I say, I would love to convert my bobcat to a Mercury. Not that the jetcat doesn't work well on it, it really does, it would just be nice to have all one brand of engine again.
Might have to buy an aluminum scuba tank finally though, the older I get the heavier that old scuba tank feels.
09-29-2015, 11:39 AM
#10
AMT engine are still superb bits of engineering, like the RR RB 211 and Trent engines, heavy but incredibly reliable. This weekend I will be flying my BVM F4 , Pegasus HPES, and soon my SkyGate Hawk, Olympus HPES. ,
David,
David,
09-29-2015, 01:43 PM
#11
O ya
Hi Jeremy, your Raptor looks great,I got the Raptor up and flying with the air start Pegasus, what a great combo, mine is still painted the same in the US air force and it fly's fantastic. I had forgotten what a great plane Scotty had designed. The Pegasus ran flawless as expected
09-29-2015, 01:52 PM
#12
Hahaha welcome back to the dark side amigo.....although a diehard AMT fan never truly leaves, just wanders a bit.
Nothing funnier than a new guy whispering...... What the hell is the scuba tank for?
you got a lighter?.....I didn't know you smoked....I don't anymore I need it to light off the engine.
Baaahhhaaaa
Nothing funnier than a new guy whispering...... What the hell is the scuba tank for?
you got a lighter?.....I didn't know you smoked....I don't anymore I need it to light off the engine.
Baaahhhaaaa
Haha I knew Scuba Brotherhood#1 was gonna chime in!!
09-29-2015, 03:11 PM
#13
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My only complaint about AMT Is It's A Little More Of A Gamble buying used. Don't know what thrust it's putting out (IE is this Peggy putting out 22 or 29 pounds of thrust)
And services, my last quote from AMT Netherlands was almost 1k for bearing and Shipping for my AMT180
And services, my last quote from AMT Netherlands was almost 1k for bearing and Shipping for my AMT180
09-29-2015, 06:42 PM
#15
Karl,
We need to figure out how to get together and fly our Raptors together. Your Raptor was the very first turbine jet I ever saw flying back in 2000 at Princeton. Have had a soft spot for the Raptor ever since then. I absolutely love my Raptor. It is the best all around sport jet I have ever had bar none. It's not firebird fast, but it's still damn fast!
We need to figure out how to get together and fly our Raptors together. Your Raptor was the very first turbine jet I ever saw flying back in 2000 at Princeton. Have had a soft spot for the Raptor ever since then. I absolutely love my Raptor. It is the best all around sport jet I have ever had bar none. It's not firebird fast, but it's still damn fast!
09-29-2015, 08:18 PM
#18
I knew the raptor was up there over 250. Is your Pegasus one of the 28 lbs early ones, mine is a tame one as I turned down the chance to crank it up a bit . after 16 years I did have the bearings replaced by Carlos in Florida ,it was 600.00 and he got the bearings from AMT NL. I also switched to kingtech oil.
Last edited by karl hibbs; 09-29-2015 at 08:23 PM.
09-30-2015, 05:54 AM
#25
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Long live AMT Netherlands, still own and fly ; 2 × Mercury HPES, 5 x Pegasus HPES and 1 x Olympus HPES as part of my fleet. Still the best, still not been back to the factory for anything after almost 15 years - no 25 hour service intervals like most other modern engines (1000 starts then you can start thinking about a service......LOL)
Jan
Jan
