Franklin engines keep props turning

Franklin Aircraft Engines Inc. is flying high at the Fort Collins Airpark.

The three-year-old business is the only full-time Franklin engine seller in the country and it expects to double its sales in the next year.

"There are two other distributors in the states, but we do much more volume,"

The Franklin engines, originally manufactured on the East Coast, are now made in Rzeszow, Poland, by PZL. They were difficult to get in the United States

for years because& the Cold War. Now that they are available again, the certified engines are giving some American manufacturers a run for their money.

"The dependability and reliability is equal to any engine manufactured here in the states," said Pete Askeland, principal owner of Franklin Aircraft Engines Inc. "And they're about halt the price."

The Franklin engines cost about $15,000, compared to $30,000 for those made in the United States, and there hasn't been any recalls on these engines.