I bought N4349A, a Piper Turbo Arrow IV, in August of 2003. After a panel overhaul and the addition of a Merlyn wastegate the aircraft was tanked and ferried across the Pacific to Seletar (WSSL), Singapore. Since then I have enjoyed flying it in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Hopefully, this year I'll get to Thailand and next year perhaps Australia. Below is a picture taken on a trip from Singapore to Bali, Indonesia, a distance of about 1000nm. Indonesia has plenty of volcanos that reach up to as high as 12,000 feet so the MEA's are quite high which makes a turbo-charged aircraft useful. This photo was taken at 14,500 feet passing one of the volcanos on the eastern tip of the island of Java. MP 30 inches, 2450 RPM, FF 9.7 gal/hr, TIT 1590, KTAS 155, OAT 0 ° C.

The tropical weather of the region creates a lot of haze and cumulus build-ups so having the capability to climb into the mid-teens can make flights much more pleasant. Typically, we have temperatures in the high 80's to low 90's so the turbo-charger also helps to deal with the density altitudes that we have. And yet despite the high ambient temperatures I have not had any of the cooling problems often associated with the TSIO-360-FB. In cruise at altitudes in the mid-teens I have cylinder head temperatures below 350F. While below 10,000 feet cylinder head temperatures are below 325F. I find the engine very efficient and I'm sure that some of that is attributed to the Merlyn wastegate.

Kind Regards,

Dimitri
Singapore

N4349A over an Indonesian volcano

I was completely dissatisfied with the factory stock approach to turbo-charging the TCM TSIO-360 engine. The fixed "bolt" waste gate is not only inefficient in its purpose, but I consider it excessively costly and leading to easy misuse and danger from over running as it invariably does. When first buying the Turbo Arrow as my first airplane, many people asked, "Why do you need a turbo charger in Florida?" adding "there aren't any mountains."

My reply was simple and twofold. (1) Florida is a weather machine, building high top convention in less than an hour, and (2) I never intended to limit my flying to only Florida, and it made little sense to me to own a three dimensional vehicle that lost power as it used more and more of its third dimension.

"Project Arrow, Seven-Mike-Mike" has been a project plane for nearly four years, and we will have had our Merlyn on it for four years in September 2005, first installed on a complete reman of only 90 hours. The engine now has close to 600 hours, and it's frequently monitored and checked more than most Part 91 aircraft. Nothing is allowed to operate less than 100% on this plane; it's instantly replaced and documented heavily in photos and records as part of Project Arrow's ongoing journal. To date the Merlyn has operated flawlessly.

Our Merlyn waste gate allows this plane to use much more of its natural throttle opening at sea level for takeoffs while providing much more leverage at higher altitudes, pushing critical altitude easily past 16,000 feet. RPM wind-up time on acceleration is also smoother, giving me total confidence of quick power ups or go arounds without the usual turbo hesitation a pilot must always adjust for with controlled patience. It's nice to know that the turbo's operating speed is reduced when it isn't needed, and has plenty of handle left to always peg my manifold at 40" when I need it. It's the way Piper should have sold the plane, and I wouldn't own a Turbo Arrow without one.

Best regards,
Jim Miller
"Project Arrow"
MILLER ENGINEERING INC
Pompano Beach, FL

I flew my Mooney 231 for over 20 years with the stock fixed wastegate before converting to the Merlyn Black Magic. Where I use to run out of throttle between 14 & 15 thousand, I now can cruise at 16 & 17K with reduced RPM and throttle to spare. It's almost like "magic". I should have converted years earlier. Thanks Merlyn.

Jim Ude
Port Angeles, WA

N1167Y

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VH-XDX - Mooney 231

Roger Allison-Jones with VH-XDX

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HB-PIT - Turbo Arrow IV

In January 2000 after a storm has destroyed my Turbo Arrow III N986AF I bought the Turbo Arrow IV HB-PIT. I renewed the complete avionics with two GNS 340, a GMA 340 and a GTX 330, a Sandel EHSI SN3308 an S-Tec System55 autopilot with altitude preselect and GPSS steering. A Stormscope WX-500 coupled to both GNS and the EHSI. Also I installed a new satellite based ELT system ARTEX ELT 406 with a NAV interface in order to transmit the GPS coordinates in case of an emergency. The old ADF coupled to the EHSI and the second transponder together with a 6 GB MP3 player holding more than 70 CD’s are installed in the right panel area.

The airplanes fuselage got a LoPresti speed kit and new wing tips and the engine became GAMI injectors and of course the Black Magic automatic waste gate.

The photos show me together with my Piper and my new baby, the D4 Fascination in front of my house located in the first European aeronautical village, the Vendée Air Park. The D4 Fascination is a brand new plane of the European category VLA (Very Light Airplane). This category defines a single engine airplane for day-VFR only having not more than two seats, with a MTOW of not more than 750 kg and a stall speed of not more than 45 kts.

The D4 FASCINATION is a single-engine airplane in fiber composite construction and designed for cruising, training and aero-tow applications. It is equipped with two side-by-side seats, low wings, cruciform tail and retractable gear. The baggage load is 60 kg in two baggage compartments.

Martin Benninger
Dietlikon, Switzerland

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N2095V - Turbo Arrow IV

N2095V was already equipped with a TurboPlus Intercooler when we acquired it in early 2003.  It also came with a run out engine so it was convenient time to make some improvements.  Several factors went into the decision to add the Merlyn Wastegate Controller during engine overhaul.  We would be operating out of Phoenix, AZ.  Summer temperatures here often top 105 degrees F and temps above 110 degrees are not uncommon.  You must contend with mountains topping 12,000 feet and MEAs of 14,000 feet if you want to go IFR.  Combine that with summer temps and you’re looking at some nasty density altitudes.  Availability of full engine power at altitudes above 12,000 can be important here.  (I’ve seen a normally aspirated, lightly loaded C-182 run out of climb ability at 11,000 ft in the summer.)  Reduced Turbo speeds at low altitudes seemed to make a lot of sense given the ambient summer temperatures and the tendency of the TSIO-360-FB to run hot and not make TBO.

Since I had very little Arrow IV time prior to the Merlyn Black Magic installation I don’t have much of a baseline for comparison.  However, over the last 2 years I have never seen cylinder head temps top 340 degrees.  Climb rates are in excess of 500 fpm even at altitudes greater than 15,000 feet.  I departed Flagstaff, AZ one summer afternoon when the density altitude topped 12,000 ft (they have an electronic warning sign at the end of the runway that displays the density altitude); we were able to develop full takeoff power and had no problem climbing to the MEA at a reasonable rate.

In short, the Merlyn Black Magic is a bargain given the performance gains and reduced operating temperatures.  If the engine makes TBO I’ll feel like the I got the Wastegate Controller for free.

Harry Dill
Phoenix, Arizona

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N9472C - Turbo Arrow III

Bottom line:  I love my Merlyn Black Magic automatic turbocharger wastegate!!  I'm based in the Salt Lake City, UT area.  We're surrounded by 12,000-ft mountains in all directions.  I can't imagine flying without a turbocharger.  How Piper could have installed a fixed wastegate on my factory Turbo Arrow is a little beyond me;  seems you have this great turbocharger advantage, but only leveraging about half of what you could.  The Merlyn automatic wastegate allows me to fly much higher without loosing performance, and gives me fuel savings (or added performance, frankly I'll take the performance). Feel free to contact me for if there is a local customer who would like to see the installation.

Steve Fulling
South Jordan, UT

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N821ET - Turbo Arrow III

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N43010 - Seneca III

I purchased N43010 in November 2004 and felt that a "bolt" was not a great regulating device in the bypass tubes of my turbos.  My IA and I installed Merlyn Black Magic units in one day (Both engines, the second one went a bit faster) and I have not regretted it. One item that has not been mentioned is the turbo spin down / cool down time is a bit less.  My guess is that the bypass tube is fully open and there is not as much exhaust pressure on the turbo.  In any event she runs cooler in climb outs/ high power cruise and that's important in Myrtle Beach in the summer.  The throttles are not so sensitive as they once were.  I use my turbos when I need them and not so much if I don't.  I feel its got to extend the life of them, not to mention those expensive engines. The Black Magic units have performed without a single issue or problem since installed and work, well - like magic.

Thanks!

Ben "Jamey" Duffey
Pawleys Island, SC

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N9676T - Turbo Arrow III

Anthony (Tony) Royal
Christiansburg, VA

N9676T	Anthony Royal and N9676T

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VH-DIG - Seneca II

I fitted Merlyn Black Magic controllers to my Seneca 2 three years ago at the same time as overhauled engines, new paint and a full speed kit.  From my home base at Narromine about 300 miles west of Sydney, I use the aircraft to travel regularly to Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane averaging fifteen to twenty hours flying a month.  The Merlyns help me climb quickly to cruise altitude which is normally 10,000 feet then cruise at 175 knots using around 18 usg/hr.  To date they have been trouble free and you do not even know that they are there although I am sure they contribute to low CHT and Oil Temp.  No special operation is required although gentle throttle movement is rewarded by precise adjustment of manifold pressure.

I am extremely pleased with the Merlyns which do all that they promise and I would certainly install again

Murray Feddersen
Narromine, NSW, Australia

VH-DIG

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N14GE - Seneca II

I bought my Seneca II, N14GE, brand new in 1978, and have had it ever since.  Very few mods - basic VFR GPS, a Marine FM radio, Robertson STOL kit w/Huntington Airspeed Director (a poor man's AOA), cowl-mounted CAL's (collision avoidance/taxi/landing lights) and, of course, the Merlyn Automatic Wastegates.

Over half my flying is down low, below 2,000', doing Homeland Security/Surveillance Patrols for the Coast Guard.  I occasionally get up to oxygen altitudes, but not the Flight Levels.  The controllers were installed in April, 2000, and have been a "no-brainer."  They have performed flawlessly.  My first flight to altitude (17,500') was in May, 2000 over the Sierras to Phoenix, AZ - needless to say, I was impressed.  Down low for the CG patrols, I throttle back to 20-26" MP at 2,300 RPM.  In all flight regimes, the engines run very cool, even with the winterization kits (oil cooler plates) installed.

Fuel consumption vs. airspeed tradeoffs are as advertised.  When I purchased the units, my primary consideration was engine life.  The 1800 hour TBO factory re-man Continental TSIO-360-EB engines have about 1400 hours on them (925 TIS at installation), have good compression and burn only 1-2 quarts of oil each every 50 hours.  Can't ask for much more than that. 

Regards,

Gordon Evans
Napa, CA

Gordon Evans and N14GE

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N93CC - Turbo Arrow III

I learned to fly in 1999 and went directly from the Cessna 172 trainer to a Turbo Arrow III. As I was searching for a ride of my own it quickly became clear that it had to be a turbo. Why buy an engine that loses performance as you do what it's designed to do, go up? After I learned that I could easily blow it up on the runway and that it had a median fixed setting that pretty much limited the turbo's benefits, the next "no brainer" was dropping the bucks for the auto wastegate. Now life is good. 17,500 is no problem (as long as I have O2 in the bottle) and I no longer worry about that pesky yellow overboost light. I wish all of the mechanicals were as reliable as the wastegate. Not one problem in 4 years. If everything else you sell satisfies customers the same way, send me a list of products!

 

Dale Snader

Fredericksburg, PA

N93CC in Flight

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N38791 - Turbo Arrow III

Here is a picture of N38791, my 1977 Turbo Arrow III, taken at D25 (Manitowish Waters, WI), one of our favorite destinations.  Along side of me are my wife, Jaye; son, Jon; and dog, Brewer.  Brewer loves to fly. N38791 just turned 3000 hours a few weeks ago.  My Dad bought the plane new in 1977 and I bought it from Dad when he lost his medical in 2000.  791 still has the original interior and  original Silver Crown radio stack. The paint is 9 years old.   The increased performance from the new wastegate, which was installed in 2004 along with a new turbo, is amazing.  I routinely flew at 11,000 to 12,000 feet before the modification.  I now fly at 15,000-16,000 ft.   Because most of my trips are in excess of 800 nm, the increased performance allows me to avoid the frequent storms and ice. Great product; I should have acquired it earlier.  I am an ATP, with an HS-125 type rating, and a CFIAIM.  I have over 5000 hours of flight time.  791 is currently based at KEFD (Houston, Ellington Field).

Tim Gehl
Houston, TX

Gehl Family and N38791

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