Continental O-240

O-240
	Continental IO-240B
Type	Piston aero-engine
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Teledyne Continental Motors
First run	1971
Major applications	Issoire APM 40 Simba; Diamond DA20-C1; AESL Airtourer; Liberty XL2
Produced	1971-Today,; 1993-Today (IO)
Developed from	Continental O-360

The Continental O-240 engine is a four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled aircraft engine that was developed in the late 1960s for use in light aircraft by Continental Motors, Inc. The first O-240 was certified on 7 July 1971.^[1]^[2]

Design and development

The 130 hp (97 kW) O-240 was a new engine design derived from the six-cylinder Continental O-360 and introduced in 1971. It is generally similar in overall dimensions to the Continental O-200, but with a higher 8.5:1 compression ratio, designed to run on 100/130 avgas. The O-240 delivers 30% more power than the O-200 while it weighs only 12% more. It may be mounted in tractor or pusher configuration.^[3]^[4]

The O-240 was produced under license in the United Kingdom by Rolls-Royce Limited and was used to power the Reims-Cessna FRA150 Aerobat, a more powerful aerobatic model of the Cessna 150 constructed in France by Reims Aviation under license.^[5] Rolls-Royce acquired the rights to the O-240, but not the IO-240 in 1977.^[2]

The fuel-injected IO-240-A and -B were introduced in 1993. The A and B versions differ only in the type of fuel injector used.^[1]^[4]

The IOF-240 is similar to the IO-240-B except that it employs an Aerosance FADEC system to control the ignition and fuel injection systems.^[1] The engine was not selected to power any production North American-manufactured aircraft until the Liberty XL2 entered production in 2006 powered by the IOF-240-B.

Variants

O-240-A: Dual ignition, 130 hp (97 kW) at 2800 rpm, dry weight 246 lb (112 kg) including starter and generator. Uses a Marvel-Schebler MA-3SPA IO 5067 carburetor. Certified 7 July 1971^[2]^[3]
IO-240-A: Dual ignition, 125 hp (93 kW) at 2800 rpm, dry weight 246 lb (112 kg), uses a TCM 639231A27 fuel injector^[1]
IO-240-B: Dual ignition, 125 hp (93 kW) at 2800 rpm, dry weight 246 lb (112 kg), uses a TCM 639231A34 fuel injector^[1]
IOF-240-B: Aerosance FADEC system controls the ignition and fuel injection systems, 125 hp (93 kW) at 2800 rpm, dry weight 255 lb (116 kg)^[1]

Applications

The Liberty XL2 is equipped with a Continental IOF-240-B engine.

O-240

AESL Airtourer T3
Reims Cessna FRA150 Aerobat ("R" meaning a Rolls-Royce-built O-240)
Rutan Voyager (front engine)
Practavia Sprite
Rollason Condor (D62C)
St Croix Pietenpol Aerial
Tri-R KIS TR-1
Warner Revolution II

IO-240

IOF-240-B

Specifications (IOF-240-B)

Data from TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. E7SO^[1]

General characteristics

Type: "4-cylinder, air-cooled, naturally aspirated, horizontally opposed, fuel-injected, spark ignition, four-stroke, direct drive. The engine incorporates a full authority digital electronic control (FADEC) system to control the ignition and fuel injection functions."
Bore: 4.438 in (112.7 mm)
Stroke: 3.875 in (98.4 mm)
Displacement: 240 in³ (3.93 L)
Dry weight: 255 lb (116 kg)

Components

Valvetrain: One intake and one exhaust valve per cylinder
Fuel system: Aerosance FADEC system
Fuel type: 100LL avgas
Cooling system: Air-cooled

Performance

Power output: 125 hp (93 kW) at 2,800 rpm
Specific power: 0.52 hp/in³ (23.66 kW/L)
Compression ratio: 8.5:1
Power-to-weight ratio: 0.49 hp/lb (0.80 kW/kg)

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Federal Aviation Administration (March 2007). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. E7SO Revision 4" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c Federal Aviation Administration (March 2007). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. E11EU Revision 4" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-12-27.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ ^a ^b Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 58-59. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0-8306-2347-7
^ ^a ^b Shanaberger, Kenneth (2008). "Continental O-240". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
^ Gunston 1989, p.42.

Bibliography

Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9

[E7SO-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Federal Aviation Administration (March 2007). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. E7SO Revision 4" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2008-12-18.

[E11EU-2] Federal Aviation Administration (March 2007). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. E11EU Revision 4" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-12-27.^{[permanent dead link]}

[Christy-3] Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 58-59. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0-8306-2347-7

[Shanaberger-4] Shanaberger, Kenneth (2008). "Continental O-240". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-12-18.

[5] Gunston 1989, p.42.

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