My first KingTech turbine was the 160 when it first came out. Near SLC Utah on a dry lake bed which has been used for model flying since time began, our efforts to get that engine going on an 85F day went nowhere.

We did everything we could think of and that little sucker just wasn't going to run so we got Barry on the phone which I was really impressed by as this was a Sunday, and he made some suggestions for ECU settings but it still didn't run right IMHO. Well my little buddy AJ was willing to give it a try and I'm glad it was him as I do not think I'd have gotten it back on the ground.

Engine went back to Barry, weeks later the factory was finally willing to release some information on the G1 versions; no one anticipated the engine being used at field elevations above 5000 ASL. The salt flats were 4300 ASL, add an 85F temp and the DA goes WELL beyond 5000 ASL.

At first they tried messing with the ECU, but no dice. This was going on four months that the Factory had my new engine and no estimate on a fix. Finally they announced that their new compressor turbine wheel design would not work at higher altitudes, so a new one was being designed.

On to six months and still no engine. I finally got Barry and told him I wanted either my fixed engine or a refund. A new engine showed up on my door step two days later via air freight from Taiwan and since it had a different serial number I'm certain it was a new engine as well as it being a G2 version.

This DA issue is just a fact of life and the reason that JetCat has the corner on the drone market for the Military, their ECU's will function just as David mentioned and can adapt for higher operational altitudes. A jet engine that cannot fly above 5000ASL isn't really any good except to possibly hobbyists.....