There is nothing wrong with a P-80, and it doesn't really sit in a weird area. Wasn't the P-80 the first commercially available JetCat engine?
I believe that (as best I can I recall), the P-80 was the first JetCat imported to the USA. It made 17 lbs. when introduced.
That was at a time when the most of the other engines in the hobby were about 17 lbs. of thrust. It fit right into the most competative spot in the sales arena, as most other manufacturers had 17 pound engines(cause they were more or less versions of the KJ-66). RAM, AMT and others had similar sized engines competing for that market.
The AMT's are an exception...they are not related to the KJ-66, as they have their own design.
Later on, JetCat turned the thrust up by raising the RPM to make 19 or 20 lbs., but still at a safe rotor speed.
As the market expanded to include smaller and larger engines, the airframe manufacturers strove to build airframes to fill the void. Many of the names and faces have changed...only the stronger ones survived.
Many new and highly refined designs have appeared in the last few years, which tends to make the purchase decision more difficult for the newby.
The P-80 is a good old workhorse....still very popular today, just as it was a few years ago.


Harley Condra
BVM REP
JetCat REP