PBS Velka Bites unveiled the diminutive TJ80-120 turbojet engine at a launch ceremony on Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow. The Czech engine manufacturer concentrates on design and production of small turboprop and jet engines as well as high-precision machining and other manufacturing technologies. PBS first produced the TJ80-120 last year.
The TJ80-120 is a subsonic jet engine based on the TJ80-90, but features a new fuel system and redeveloped flow parts. The company designed the engine for unmanned aerial vehicles such as target drones, remote carriers, and unmanned combat systems.
A new fuel system allows for a higher overall efficiency of the engine cycle and engineers carried out the updated flow design on the compressor and turbine stages. The single-stage centrifugal compressor and single-stage axial turbine wheel also underwent modernization. Thrust increased from 900 to 1,250 Newtons, and the TJ80-120 set a world record for turbojet engines of its size. The new engine's thrust-to-weight ratio is 9.23, all while maintaining the original size and weight of the TJ80-90.
PBS also offers in-house customization of the engine and can aid customers with integration with various types of airframes. In the U.S., Sonex Aircraft sells an amateur-built aircraft kit that uses a PBS engine, the jet-powered SubSonex. The company is also developing the JSX-2T, a two-seat version of the PBS-powered jet.