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When will a diesel be available for my aircraft? |
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News, facts, and comments on the coming revolution for piston-engine aircraft.News of June 25, 2009Thielert is alive and kicking: An interview of Thielert (now Centurion) management and technical teamOn May 11, I had a prescheduled phone conference with Dr. Bruno M. Kübler, insolvency administrator of Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH; Jasper Wolffson, chairman of Centurion Aircraft Engines AG & Co. KG; and Prof. Günter Kappler, Head of Engineering and R&D, Accountable Manager. I asked them the following questions, recorded their answers, and add here my comments. Q - What can we consider as public information in the uncontrolled verbal rumors circulating among some of our usual panelists that a Consortium including Diamond Air and General Atomics (N. B.: A Thielert customer for engine drones) is about to acquire all or a controlling interest of Centurion? A – All kinds of rumors are naturally circulating, since it is no secret that Centurion is looking for strategic investors able to develop the business and the market, and give satisfaction to our clients. The one you mention comes naturally to the mind of anyone surveying our industry. At this time, nothing is finalized with any definite party, and contacts in progress are naturally confidential. Q - Historically, piston engines (whether electrical ignition or diesel) using an in-line structure, liquid cooled, running at higher rpm’s (above 3,000 rpm), actuating a propeller shaft through a geared transmission reducing rpm’s (often automobile derived engines) have been successful when pure performance was requested more than long TBO, long range, and reliability (Ex: a Drone application). Radial or O-engines, air cooled, with propeller in line with crankshaft, have been dominating the industry when priority was on trouble free, long range, low maintenance operations. Unfortunately for Thielert, the short history of its 4 cylinders diesel strongly confirmed the old prejudice against Geared Liquid-cooled In-line Engines. What new arguments does Thielert have today to defend this design, and how is Thielert hoping to finally convince General Aviation that its basic design will eventually satisfy the market? A. – The preconception you describe is ancient. Since then, considerable progress has been made allowing overcoming these weaknesses: at first, the use of state of the art Common Rail injection technology, which significantly increases both engine efficiency and smoothness, therefore contributes to reducing vibrations and weight; also, in nature of alloys and metallurgy, in forming and machining processes, and notably in surface treatments. The Thielert engine was initially developed with limited means, and was weak notably in the gear and clutch functions, designed using obsolete technologies. Other problems, when one traces the history of a breakdown, are far more often caused by non-respect of operating instructions or of maintenance procedures, which is always bound to exasperate customer dissatisfaction. Thanks to the team of Professor Kappler and University of Dresden, which has access to state of the art knowledge, analysis tools and testing means, we have been able to attack each weakness of the engine and have already found solutions to the most urgent ones. Solutions we found mean a change of parts or subassemblies which can always replace the existing elements on the same mount or interface. Remember that at no moment did we have all Thielert-equipped planes grounded: A good portion of them went on flying without incidents because their operators complied with our procedures. These, however, do imply frequent and costly changes of certain components mainly the clutch and gear system. And we are making regular progress on the TBOs of these parts and on all others. Many problems with gears are related to a poor control of circulation and pressure of lubricant: Improving these 2 factors considerably increases TBO without yet making any change in design of gear subassembly. With time, our TBO will keep on increasing and will become very competitive. By the end of 2009 we will be able to have 600 hours for the gear & clutch system, and 1,500 hours for the 2 liter engine. Dresden also has experience and testing means to considerably improve vibration abatement and control, a crucial area for diesels. We already made changes in that area, which can be retrofitted through engine modifications and replacement. And we will keep making progress. Q. – At DieselAir we have been flooded by reports from Diamond customers complaining that their airplanes, sometimes their whole fleet of Diamond DA42s or DA40s, were grounded for lack of spare parts… One can understand the frustration of an owner of 2 planes which he paid around $1.5 million dollars and who doesn’t know when his planes will be flying again, if at all… What can you tell them? A. - Here, we must be clear: We can supply any missing part for our engines and have been able to do so throughout the insolvency. The same applies to new replacement subassemblies extending TBOs. Our experience is that airplane owners will not pay the price we have to charge them to comply with our legal constraints: Remember we operate under a German equivalent of Chapter 11 (Receivership with Owner in Possession allowed to manage the business) and we cannot sell anything at a loss. Now, we are fully aware that our prices in Euros are high in absolute terms, especially if compared to price in dollars for widespread US engines and spare parts, the tooling for which has been fully amortized for decades. We maintain however that the advantages, now proven, of a diesel DA42 or 40 fully justify the price difference. And this will improve with time. Q. - What is the Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC, Lbs or grams of fuel per HP-hour) of a Thielert 2 liter 155HP at full cruise power, and at best glide power on for instance a DA40 or 42? A. – As with every diesel, our engine offers a flat specific consumption at all rpms. In other words, the fuel consumption per HP and per hour remains approximately the same whether the engine delivers 155 HP or 40 HP, whereas on a gasoline engine this SFC increases somewhat at less than full power, and, on a turbine, shoots to the ceiling. This is why a turboprop airplane always is a gas guzzler at transitional regimes such as take-off, go around, and approach to land. This is one important reason why diesel engine is so favorable on a trainer operated by a flight school. This being said, the SFC of our 4 cylinder is consistent with what you can expect of a small diesel, that is around 0.35 Lbs per Horse Power and per Hour. Q. - What is Thielert’s opinion on the future of Avgas and on future availability and certification of alternative fuels (Mogas, no-lead fuels, Swift fuel…) for electrical ignition engines, therefore other than Jet A/diesel fuels? A. – We do not believe in the future of any fuel replacing existing Avgas for electrical ignition aero engines, whether existing engines or new designs. First, it is public knowledge that a majority of the world Avgas consumption comes from a minority of most recent Lycoming and Continental fuel-injected engines, on which octane index is essential due to higher compression ratio and use of lean settings “beyond peak”. All other existing planes, generally well over 30 years of age, will be scrapped or can be converted to Mogas with minor consequences for planes flying less than 100 hours/year. Otherwise, any no-lead fuel capable of such octane index will require a lengthy certification process which, we claim, is not worthwhile compared with the advantages of burning existing Jetfuel with a diesel. The diesel is bound to come. Second, we do not see how a new kind of fuel, notably derived from any biotech process, could replace any existing hydrocarbon derived fuel at a lower cost than said conventional fuels. At a much higher cost, perhaps, due to the unavoidable energy cost for separation of fuel ingredient from the biomass itself and/or for synthesis of such ingredient… But we expect that, in view of its cost plus the cost of certifying various engines for said new fuel plus granting the various STCs for aircraft using modified engines and new fuel, the FAA and other regulatory agencies will eventually realize the obvious: They and the industry are better off certifying diesel using Jetfuel, the Jetfuel of today and future modified Jetfuel using alternative ingredients, if and when available. Q. - At this moment (Spring-Summer 2009), how many engines is Thielert selling per month? Can you give a percent of sales between Drones; replacement of existing Thielert as part of after sales service; retrofit of airplanes being converted from Avgas to Jetfuel? And OEM market? A. – At this time when we are in a phase of audit, confidential discovery and due diligence for various investors in Centurion, we cannot disclose any figures of that nature. We can tell you that we are presently producing and selling engines and parts under each category of clientele which you list. Q. - What are Thielert’s plans to further develop its V8 engine? A. – Our V8 engine has so far given satisfaction on all planes on which it was tested, and has been certified outside the US for the Cessna 206. However again, as long as we are under financial restructuring, all projects other than the 4 cylinder are on hold. We can tell you that the V8 structure is a favorable one regarding vibrations control, whether diesel or gasoline. For a diesel, it means less vibrations, less damping needs, therefore less weight per HP. Our V8 has had time to demonstrate that. Centurion will without doubt pursue its development in a new corporate structure. (end) Interview by Andre Teissier-duCros posted at 5:09 PM News of June 06, 2009When will a diesel option be available for the Beech Bonanza?We receive many such questions: I own a 1974 Bonanza F33A which I would like to convert to diesel. My engine is at TBO and converting it now would be great. Can you please give me some info on how I would go about finding a company to do this? Answer: Many Bonanza owners think naturally of a diesel for replacement of their engines at TBO: With a diesel of 300HP, the Bonanza would considerably gain in range and safety and since it already is a serious, fast IFR cross country plane, it would become a very attractive low cost alternative to a Piper Meridian. And there are lots of Bonanzas around available for conversion. The only 300HP diesel flying today - as a prototype - is the Thielert/Centurion V8. The bankruptcy of its manufacturer has put its development and FAA certification on hold. Until then it was flying on one or two one Cessna 206 demos, another obvious candidate for such an engine. We don't know as of now when Centurion will seriously resume certification of that engine, and do not expect news until Centurion is merged or acquired, which should not take too long now. Other 300HP diesels in the making are not flying yet. We expect - these are my guesses only - the next ones to fly would be the SMA 6 cylinder, the Continental project (although no one knows what it will look like) and possibly a DeltaHawk 2-stroke, both around 2012. Lycoming is talking in very vague terms about a multifuel engine capable of burning alternatively Jetfuel, Mogas, Avgas and new fuels such as the SWIFT, but it would be an ignition engine. Bill Lawson, a regulal panelist, reminds us that the US Army and Navy have been or are using such multi-fuel ignition engines for truck and marine applications. So the field is open but nothing is available right now. Whichever is the first, we expect it to be on the 206. For two reasons: the 206 is used by professionals who fly intensively and badly need an alternative to Avgas, less and less available where these planes are invaluable for humanitarian missions and local micro-cargo jobs. Also, putting an engine on a fixed gear airplane or a tail dragger is much easier than on a retractable single. So far, in fact, the only retractable single flying with a diesel is a SOCATA Trinidad, with the SMA engine. posted at 12:05 PM News of May 10, 2009Swift Fuel Creates New Bio-Fuel That Beats Gasoline on Every LevelSwiftFuel has developed a much cleaner eco friendly fuel that promises to replace gasoline and aviation fuel with a non corrosive stable product that can be used in the existing transportation infrastructure. SwiftFuel uses ethanol to produce a designer fuel with a 104 octane rating that has no ethanol in it. It runs virtually the same in any existing plane or car, and is a low emission, alternative made entirely from biomass that has 15-20% more energy gallon than gasoline. The company claims that it costs half as much to make as current petroleum manufacturing cost, selling for $2 a gallon less than gasoline. Swift Enterprises’ new general aviation SwiftFuel© is less expensive, more fuel-efficient and significantly environmentally friendlier. Unlike current biomass fuels, SwiftFuel© is comprised of synthetic hydrocarbons derived from biomass yet meets or exceeds the standards for aviation fuel as verified by nationally recognized laboratories. John Rusek, a professor in Purdue University's School of Astronautics and Aeronautics Engineering, and his wife Mary founded Swift Enterprises seven years ago at Purdue Research Park, Both John and Mary worked at Edwards Air Force Base in the mid80s, where they conducted research on rockets and rocket fuel for the government. Swift aims to use renewable resources to end the energy crisis. It works with hydrogen peroxide and other novel chemicals as new components in fuel cells and propellants. The scientists at Swift bring a combination of military, academic and private enterprise experience to the fundamental research and development of propulsion, ordnance and power technologies, and hardware. "Our fuel should not be confused with first-generation bio-fuels like E-85, which don't compete well right now with petroleum,” Rusek said. "For general aviation aircraft, range is paramount. Not only can our fuel seamlessly replace the aviation industry's standard petroleum fuel, it can outperform it." Swift fuel produces no sulfur emissions, requires no stabilizers; has a 30-degree lower freezing point, introduces no new carbon emissions, and is lead-free. In addition, the components of this fuel can be formulated into a replacement for jet/turbine fuels. (Next Energy News 6/08) Comments: Since June 08, the FAA and other US institutions maintain their interest in the Swift fuel. It is interesting to follow this development since, so far, it seems the only alternative to Avgas. We remain surprised that a biomass derived fuel could be less costly to produce than market prices of any petroleum-derived fuel, because any biomass, to produce a fuel, must go through a separation process concentrating the fuel element from water, which consumes significant energy. posted at 3:19 AM Piper Aircraft Sold to Imprimis, Asia-Based Finance HouseAmerican Capital has sold its 100 percent interest in Piper Aircraft to Imprimis, a corporate finance and management company with offices in Bangkok, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. Piper President James Bass said he is confident the change in ownership is a highly positive development for the airframer. Imprimis has revealed it expects to leverage its ownership in Piper to stimulate general aviation outside North America, specifically in Asia. At the same time, it is expected that Piper will be well supported in its core business here in the United States, with a stated commitment to retaining company headquarters in Vero Beach, Florida. Also, Imprimis has pledged to continue development of the single-engine PiperJet. Imprimis Managing Partner Stephen Berger said, "Imprimis sees this acquisition as a perfect fit as we develop plans for Piper's continued growth in its existing markets and for significant expansion within the Asian markets where much of our focus lies." He also said that Imprimis had been looking for some time to invest in an aviation company. Piper's Bass said, "Imprimis' commitment to grow Piper in both existing and emerging markets comes at a time when we are poised to enter a new era in aviation history." (Flight International 5/7/09) Comments: Piper never was interested in aero diesel despite the fact that several PA28 were converted to Thielert and one PA28 Dakota demonstrator was converted to SMA and has shown very promising performances. All efforts were concentrated on the PiperJet. A change of ownership may revive an interest in developing a PA28 trainer with a simplified diesel (SMA or 2-stroke?) for specific needs of flight academies, and a conversion of the Seneca to diesel. posted at 2:09 AM News of May 09, 2009How about buying now a diesel airplane which is available, wholly certified worldwide and trouble free?
 FlyJetA has something to offer now. Patrick Canivet is well known at Sun & Fun and Oshkosh: his company FlyJetA, Inc. (http://www.flyjeta.com) in Sarasota FL is in the aerodiesel business. He is not the only one, of course. But he has something special to offer: A diesel airplane which is certified FAA and EASA, available right now, and reported so far as trouble free. This airplane is the Cessna 182Q or R converted to the SMA 305 diesel 4-stroke, 4-cyl. 230HP. 44 of such planes are flying in the world, and you never hear of them. The oldest one has hit 900 hours. The 182P should be STC’d with FAA soon. DieselAir is ambitioning to organize a panel of 182SMA owners, so if you read these lines and have one, please contact me at atc@dieselair.com. At this time, FlyJetA is in a unique situation: The firm offers converted 182s, not simply conversions. And FlyJetA is in the US where most of the 182s available for conversions are, and they are often on the market. Any other SMA converter needs you to bring him your 182 first. Not FlyJetA: Patrick keeps contact with a network of 182 owners and knows how to procure one at short notice. He has a backlog of orders in progress, and at any time can allocate one available plane to you and expedite the conversion within 2 to 4 months according to your own specs. The 182 SMA offers performances way superior to an original 182Q: It burns only 9 gal/h at 135 knots, and 10.3 gal./h at 147 knots at 12,500 feet. Its EASA certification allows for flight at 22,000 ft; it burns only 4 gal//h at best range speed (100 knots); and its payload up to 250NM legs plus 1 hour reserves is the same as the one of a Cessna 206: close to 1,000 Lbs. Its range can be extended to 1,400NM at best economy cruise speed. So far, FlyJetA has sold six 182SMAs, two of which during calendar 2008. Expect prices, for a fully refurbished plane (paint, corrosion inspection, leather interior, new or partially new avionics, plus of course everything new in front of the firewall), from $285,000 to 300,000 FOB Sarasota, mainly depending on avionics. FlyJetA has been cooperating with SMA Engines, the French aerodiesel manufacturer, since 2003, and participated to cooperation with Cessna Aircraft, for instance to redesigning the 182 cowl for better aerodynamic and cooling efficiency. FlyJetA has also done preliminary design work for a conversion of the Piper Seneca, an ideal candidate for an SMA conversion. N. B. FlyJetA is the only firm we are aware of which can, as of spring-summer 09, offer for sale an aero diesel airplane with a worldwide certified engine without history of defects or breakdowns, and of a type and model which is fully STCd worldwide. But we may be wrong! If anyone else can document us to show he fulfills these conditions too, I will very shortly publish a similar report on his firm and on what he offers. posted at 11:29 AM News of April 11, 2009News from Thielert-Centurion ...We received the following information from Sebastian Glaser, in charge of press relations with Thielert Engines, now Centurion: There are about 1,250 airplanes presently equipped with various Thielert engines. The number of CENTURION 2.0 litre engines currently flying in General Aviation is just over 1,000. The CENTURION V8 4.0liter project is currently on hold. There is, however, a large potential for the Cessna 206 for which Thielert already has obtained an STC. posted at 7:21 PM Diamond Air: Re-engined Diesel Twin Star EASA Certified
 According to AVWeb, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the Diamond DA42 NG, which is powered by Diamond s own 170-horsepower Austro 300 diesel. The certification came less than a year after Thielert, whose engines powered first generation Twin Stars, became insolvent, resulting in serious maintenance issues for DA42 owners. The EASA certification means Diamond can start delivering Twin Stars again in Europe (it has 40 on the line) and also start turning its attention to retrofits for existing owners who want to swap out their Thielerts. 'We are focusing our efforts to achieve the certification of the optional upgrade of all delivered DA42s with the Austro Engine, such that all customers can benefit from these improvements along with comprehensive customer support for their engines,' said Diamond CEO Christian Dries. Although the EASA certification is valid only in Europe, it should be fairly straightforward to get it recognized everywhere else, and Dries said Diamond is working on it. Dries says that even though the new engine pumps out 20 percent more horsepower, it actually delivers better fuel economy than the Thielerts while giving the aircraft a higher gross weight and better performance. As part of the NG package, the new DA42s come with Garmin GFC 700 autopilot, and they're ready for Garmin synthetic vision. The initial TBO of the new engine is 1,000 hours, but Dries said the goal is to extend that to 2,000 hours. It's not clear how that will translate to North American customers where the Thielerts are on a 1,000-hour TBR (time before replacement). The company is also working on a maintenance program that will undoubtedly address some of the cost and AOG time spans that affected Thielert operators. (AVWeb 4/11/09) Comments: Thielert claims that the Austro engine is only certified for the new DA42NG specially modified to accommodate it, and cannot be retrofitted on an older DA42, or even less DA40 diesel or Cessna 172Thielert. Anyone who can provide information on this contradiction is welcome. Meanwhile, the continuing dispute between Diamond and Thielert is not very helpful. As well, Christian Dries claims that the Austro engine is 20% more fuel efficient than the Thielert. It may be true since the Thielert was not very convincing in terms of Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC), but 20% is a lot. We would prefer to know data on the SFC, and better know the fuel flow at best glide speed. posted at 6:40 PM News of April 05, 2009Thielert administrator forms Centurion sales and support entity – CommentsThe administrator for insolvent German aircraft engine manufacturer Thielert Aircraft Engines has established a separate company dedicated to the global sales and marketing of the Centurion diesel engine and spare parts. Centurion Aircraft Engines ‘will be unaffected by the insolvency proceedings’ said administrator Bruno Kuebler at the Aero Friedrichshafen general aviation trade show on 2 April. By establishing the new company, Kuebler said he is ‘responding to the growing demand in the business with replacement and re-equipped engines for Diamond, Robin, Piper and Cessna aircraft and Centurion can quickly establish itself on the market without the burden of the insolvency stigma.’ Centurion will also be sold as part of the Thielert estate, Kuebler said. To date more than 2,000 Centurion 1.7, 3.0 and 4.0 engines have been sold, accumulating a more than 1.5 million flight hours across the fleet of new and used aircraft. Through the new entity, Centurion is offering a two-year extended warranty on all newly manufactured engines and spare parts. Meanwhile, Thielert continues to seek investors to bring the company out of insolvency, which it entered a year ago. ‘We are not in any hurry to make a quick sale. We are still building engines and Thielert can still generate a modest profit,’ Kuebler said. ‘There are a number of interested parties with whom we are conducting negotiations, but we are willing to wait until the right offer comes along even if it means having to wait until the recession ends.’ (FlightGlobal 4/3/09) Comments: Bruno Kuebler talks about more than 2,000 Thielert engines sold, in the 1.7, 3.0 and 4.0 liters capacities. We suppose he meant 1.7, 2.0 and 4.0 liters, since the 1.7 liter (135HP) was indeed replaced by a 2 liter (155HP) late in the career of that 4 cylinder engine. We never obtained reliable figures as to how many exactly of each type were manufactured. Our guess is that a very large majority of them were still 1.7 liter. As for the V8 4 liter, to our best knowledge only a few actually reached the flying stage, for instance on the Cessna 206 demos used when seeking an STC, on one or two Cessna 400 series, and at least on one Beech Duke, all for same purposes. We never heard of a 3.0 liter actually flying, although there were, for a short time, some announcements made for a 230HP engine of that capacity. Thielert – now Centurion – and Austro Engines will therefore go on competing for the supply of very similar 4-cylinders, in line, 4 strokes, liquid cooled and geared diesel engines for the same existing market: Diamond DA 42 (a few of them in the US) and 40s , Cessna 172s, a few Robin DR400 (French), and very few Piper PA28s. We estimate that the total number of diesel airplanes now flying worldwide is 800, out of which the ones addressed by Centurion and Austro is about 700. The 100 difference represents airplanes equipped by SMA, DeltaHawk, and Wilksch, but we may be missing quite a few. As for the 700 Thielert equipped planes, Centurion CEO Jasper Wolffson states that only the DA42s could receive the Austro 300 as a direct substitute. On other planes, the 300, more powerful but heavier than the replaced engine, will not fit. I expect some response from Austro contradicting that and stating that the extra weight is the cost of reliability… Wait and see. Either of Austro or Centurion alone would have a hard time reversing the very negative reputation of the pre-2008 Thielert engines, resulting of their very poor reliability (multiple incidents with faulty clutches, fuel pumps, gears, valves, cylinder heads, and FADEC…), and the significant liabilities resulting of deficient customer service either from Thielert or from Diamond. The DieselAir Newsletter has been submerged with emails reporting these incidents as well as the number of airplanes grounded, waiting for spare parts. Increasing the reliability of an internal combustion engine, working step by step and component by component all the way through always delivers when you have the time and the money, and when your customers benefit of each step so that they remain loyal. Bruno Kuebler stated at his AERO Friedrichshafen press conference that intensive work is in progress to address one by one each of these maintenance issues and that results are available here and now in the engines they now deliver. But can it be done with the two firms competing head-on in such a way? I confess I am skeptical, and amazed that Diamond and Thielert could not work out together some kind of alliance; for their benefit first, and for the benefit of the whole industry. posted at 5:37 PM News of March 31, 2009The Tecnam Eaglet with Gemini 2-stroke diesel engine will be demonstrated at AERO Friedrichshaven.
 Production By Powerplant Developments of the Gemini 3 cylinder, 6 piston engine will begin in Hastings, UK in April 09. But testing is not completed either for the engine or the plane. Click here to read more. posted at 11:06 PM News of March 30, 2009How will Diamond handle the aero diesel market? Comments on recent news.Christian Dries, owner and chief executive of the Austrian airframer, admits in an interview to Flight International that the year 2008 has been a disaster: Blow one was the bankruptcy in May of Thielert, the German supplier of the Centurion 2.0 diesel engine that powered the twinprop Diamond DA42 and diesel versions of the DA40 piston single. Diamond and Thielert were not able to reach terms for continued cooperation. Blow two was delays in obtaining European certification for its own Mercedes Benz-derived aero diesel, having set up a neighboring sister company Austro Engine for the purpose. The European Aviation Safety Agency certified the 170hp (125kW) Austro AE300 only during the first quarter of 2009. Blow three affected another big project: the single-engined D-Jet ‘personal light jet’, for which Diamond has more than 600 orders. It will be built in Canada at its London, Ontario factory. Again, certification is delayed. A decision to swap jet engines plus other minor problems delayed to 2010 the likely start of production. The market for Diamond s $1.4 million D-Jet looks in fact less promising than it did when the program was launched in 2003 amid much publicity about the prospects for very light jets and the on-demand air taxi market. Since then, a number of air taxi start-ups have foundered, including US D-Jet customer Point2Point, along with VLJ pioneers Eclipse Aviation and Adam Aircraft. However, even when the hype was at its highest two years ago, Dries was careful not to get carried away, stressing the D-Jet s appeal to owner-flyers rather than as a charter aircraft. He is convinced the D-Jet will be attractive in an economic slowdown to owner-flyers looking to ‘step down from bigger aircraft’. To top it all, Diamond is affected by the downturn in the private aviation industry. Deliveries of the DA42 fell from 98 in 2007 to 69 last year, and the DA40 from 80 to 33, although much of that was due to the lack of engines. Diamond has laid off in total some 450 employees in Austria and Canada. But as he prepares for Aero 09 in Friedrichshafen and the Paris air show, Dries is upbeat about Diamond s long-term prospects. One of the bright spots has been a burgeoning security and surveillance market for its €3 million spyplane - the DA42-derived MPP (multipurpose platform). Diamond handed over 17 of the types last year to customers as diverse as the UK Royal Air Force (thought to be operating them in Iraq), Austrian firefighters and the Niger government. Diamond expects to deliver between 50 and 60 MPPs this year. We know from other sources that the general security and surveillance market is one of the fastest going ones remaining today despite the recession; and its potential as an aero diesel application is obvious since it essentially needs a large autonomy. The aircraft is a standard DA42 offered with optional aerial sensors in bolt-on pods on the nose, roof and belly. The aircraft is securing a reputation, says Dries, because it offers a solution to so many missions, particularly for customers ‘without deep pockets’. As a result, Diamond is targeting local law enforcement and security agencies in Europe as well as governments in Africa and Latin America for which the products of the big defense manufacturers are out of reach. The MPP is much more affordable and quieter than a helicopter, easier to operate than an unmanned air vehicle and capable of staying in the air for 13h with two crew. ‘The MPP is now our biggest and most important business,’ says Dries, who will unveil at Paris an upgraded version of the aircraft, with a more effective engine muffler. ‘If it is 200m [650ft] above your head, you will not hear it,’ he says. ‘The silence of the aircraft will be a huge marketing advantage.’ The European approval of the Austro engine has come as a relief to Diamond, which will - after a hiatus of almost a year - begin deliveries of diesel-powered aircraft again, firstly equipping the whitetails at its factory. ‘It is six months too late, but at least it has happened,’ sighs Dries. After the Thielert crisis, he did consider launching a rescue bid for his supplier, but fell out with the administrator. Instead, production is ramping up at the new Austro factory immediately behind the Diamond works, where Dries expects between 500 and 700 engines will be delivered this year, although it has a capacity for 3,000. So far, Diamond is its sister company s only client, but Dries says there has been ‘a lot of interest from other manufacturers’. Dries expects much of the business to come from Diamond owners swapping their Thielert engines once they reach their warranty limit. ‘As time goes on, we expect most of the fleet to be replaced after 1,000 hours,’ he says. Although more expensive and heavier than its Thielert counterpart, Dries says the Austro engine is ‘more robust’ thanks to cast iron cylinder blocks instead of aluminium, as well offering 20% better fuel economy. With Diamond hoping for a quarter one 2010 certification for its single AE300 diesel-powered DA50 Magnum - a longer, roomier version of its DA40 to rival the Cirrus SR22 - the company is set to emerge from the downturn with a strong product line up. Christian Dries is certainly the most enterprising, courageous and persevering aircraft manufacturer in the General Aviation segment, and one can only wish him a well deserved success. He made history. The questions which remain are: Whether an aircraft engine, diesel or other, can be directly derived from an automobile engine. So far, The Thielert venture has only confirmed the old fears about liquid-cooled engines, geared propellers, separate cylinder heads and use of multiple metals and alloys within the engine structure. The only automobile engine which remained constantly present - on the very light airplane market - is the old Volkswagen Beetle engine, and it was an opposite cylinder air-cooled: One could call it an aircraft engine adapted to automobile! Will Austro Engine finally provide a convincing demonstration, even if a somewhat heavy one? And then, it appears more and more that diesel will be attractive on airplanes flying at least 500h per year, either for professional applications or for flight training. The professional market wants at least 300HP engines. The flight Academy market wants very light and simple engines. As of 2009, it looks like the Dries group of companies is far from proposing a V8 300HP+ as Thielert attempted to do, and DeltaHawk, Wilksch and PDD-Gemini are slowly but surely making progress with 2-stroke diesels of 100 to 160HP. Can the DA40 with the Austro 300 offer a viable alternative? Wait and see. In that context, what can the new Thielert do to remain present, now that it has obviously lost its main customer? That is the toughest question. posted at 5:11 AM News of March 09, 2009New Hybrid Propulsion System For Aircraft
 Flight Design GmbH, which makes the popular CT line of light sport aircraft (see http://www.flightdesign.com/index.php?page=product&p=35), has announced it will debut in early April, at the Aero show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, a hybrid engine concept for light aircraft. The concept engine is based on 'a well-established certified aircraft engine' mated with an electric booster only used to boost performance for takeoff and climb, according to the company. 'The result is an optimized engine in respect to size, weight and fuel efficiency for cruise,' Flight Design said in a news release, that offers 40 additional horsepower when demanded, or redundant power in the case of fuel starvation. Flight Design has worked for two years with Franz Aircraft Engines (an engine dealer and refitter in Schechen, Germany, see http://www.franz-aircraft.de, to develop the hybrid, which it promotes as a short- to middle-term solution for efficient environmentally friendly aircraft still waiting for readily available electric or hydrogen powered propulsion solutions. Unlike concept cars that never make it to the mass market, Flight Design does have consumers in mind. Flight tests are expected to take place in 2009, in 'an existing airplane,' and the company says preliminary talks with EASA have already taken place to create a realistic pathway to certification. April will show how they have done it, but Flight Design claims they have managed to keep the installed weight low enough to increase the load-carrying ability of small aircraft flying with the system, opening 'new possibilities for general aviation.' The Flight Design MC LSA will be exposed at Oshkosh 2009 in April. It is made out of steel, light alloys and composites. This could be an interesting concept when applied with a small 2-stroke diesel: A 100HP diesel plus an electric booster of 40HP could pull a 4-seater airplane. Whether Avgas, Mogas of Jetfuel, it all depends on the extra weight caused by the battery and electric motor... (AVwebflash 3/9/09 plus DieselAir comments) posted at 4:04 AM The Tecnam twin: A promising concept.
 The Tecnam P92 Eaglet is an all aluminum airplane that combines the best features of their high wing aircraft line into one improved platform suitable for primary and advanced training as well as cross-country needs. It received its US Airworthiness Certificate on 1/11/2008. It is manufactured by Italian aircraft manufacturer Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam S.r.l. in Capua Caserta, Italy. (www.tecnam.com) The Eaglet is presently equipped with the Rotax 912S. Powerplant Developments Ltd. (PPD) is supplying two samples of its Gemini 100HP 2-stroke diesel to Tecnam for flight evaluation testing. Later PPD will supply its 125HP if first results are favorable. According to PPD, the Gemini engine is very low weight for a diesel and it provides greater efficiency and higher torque than is found in current available engines. Powerplant Developments is a UK based Company of four principals located in West Sussex. Managing partner Tim Archer, PPDs CEO, is based in the United States. Their Gemini family of two-stroke diesel engines is currently in development starting with the Gemini 100HP engine which is being targeted specifically at the LSA market and certified via ASTM Standards. Other engines of the same basic two-stroke design and up to 600HP are envisioned as the line matures. Archer stressed that supplying general aviation with a reliable alternative diesel engine is the primary focus of the Company. The Gemini 100 weighs in at just over 155 pounds dry (with starter, alternator and fuel system) and 190 pounds wet with required ancillary accessories. The Gemini 125 - essentially the same engine with turbo charging added - weighs 170 pounds dry and 205 pounds wet. The Gemini 100 is a geared engine of 1.6/1 ratio. When asked if the gearbox would have time limitations as it does for a competitor, Archer stated that, 'it would not.' The Gemini 100 and 125 are two-crankshaft, two-stroke, three-cylinder, six-piston opposed designs with mechanically driven superchargers required to maintain positive pressure for induction and scavenging. The combustion chamber is formed between the opposing pistons (so the Gemini is another scaled down version of the Junkers Jumo diesel of the thirties, which was regularly demonstrating 0.345 Lb/HP-hour of Specific Fuel Consumption); inlet and exhaust ports are formed by orifices in the cylinder walls. This engine, same as the old Jumo, must be geared because the two crankshafts are connected by a gear transmission, with the propeller on an intermediate shaft. The Gemini 100 maintains sea-level performance to 5,000 feet while the Gemini 125 -- with turbo charging added -- maintains sea-level performance to 15,000 feet. As currently envisioned, all engines above the Gemini 100 will be supercharged and turbocharged and any used for aviation will be certified via FAR 33. The Tecnam twin with diesel, depending on price, can one day change completely the US professional and private twin market. One could expect a fuel consumption of 7Gal/h, and a long range. One advantage of the opposite piston design is that the gear transmission is balancing stresses on the gear driving the propeller: It is symmetrically actuated. (Aero News Network 8/08 plus DieselAir comments and update). posted at 1:40 AM News of February 28, 2009What is new on the aero diesel front? A crystal ball exercise.What is new on the aero diesel front? Your superficial impression could be: ‘Not much.’ Wrong. The next major events we are waiting for are the FAA certification of the Austro 300 and the STC for the Maule MX-9-230 with SMA engine. Both will constitute significant breakthroughs because it will be the first significant FAA certification since the Thielert bankruptcy which threw a serious doubt, especially in the US, on the very notion of aero diesel. Less of that in other parts of the world: The slow but certain phasing out of Avgas pushes polits and FBOS to look eagerly at what is next in the niche. Then, we should witness flights of the first Van’s experimentals with the SMA engine. Then, we expect important news from DeltaHawk Engines, from Wilksch Airmotors and later from Gemini, all of them being 2-stroke engines in the 100-180HP range giving full satisfaction as prototype levels. We expect the next important development for Wilksch will be the STC for the IndUSAviation diesel powered Thorpe T-211 100HP. Later but we are talking of a few years, we expect to see flying the SMA 4-cylinder 280HP, which will be good news for owners of Cessna 206 to begin with. posted at 6:03 PM News of February 10, 2009The new Europa was demonstrated with the Wilksch diesel 2-stroke engine at Ashburton, NZ
 One of the crop of interesting new aircraft at the SAANZ flyin at Ashburton, New Zealand was this Europa ZK-ZEB, which was built by Peter Austin of Whitianga. It was first registered on 11/2/08 and had just flown off its restrictions in time to fly to Ashburton. Some of the major interest in this aircraft was in its engine, and the cowlings were off nearly all day Saturday while the builder explained the engine installation to a steady stream of interested homebuilders. The engine is a Wilksch Airmotive watercooled 3 cylinder diesel which is both turbocharged and supercharged, and runs on Jet A1 fuel. It has flown successfully in several aircraft overseas. Thanks to Blue Bus for the photo of ZK-ZEB with its cowlings on. The lower photo shows more detail of the engine installation. See http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-europa-with-new-engine-at-ashburton.html DieselAir Comment: The Wilksch engine seems today the one diesel 2-stroke which is the closest to market applications. We see it as a good contender for the engine of the next generation of trainers. posted at 2:30 PM News of January 29, 2009Austro Engine A300 substitute to Thielert is EASA certified now.The European Aviation Safety Agency has just approved the use of the Austro Engines AE300 turbodiesel engine for use in Part 23 certified aircraft. Listed on the EASA documents as the ‘Diamond Aircraft Industries E4 series’ - Austro is closely tied to the plane maker - the AE300 is rated at 166 hp takeoff power at 3880 rpm, with maximum continuous horsepower of 152 hp at 3550 rpm. As certified, the engine weighs around 408 lbs. Conceived as a replacement for the Thielert Centurion series 1.7-liter and 2.0-liter engines previously offered in the DA40 and DA42 Twin Star, the AE300 uses the same Mercedes-Benz-sourced engine block as the Thielert engine, but with lighter top end components. The engine sports a clutch-less gear box, a cast-iron crankcase, integral oil-coolant heat exchanger and improved turbocharger air induction and cooling systems. Diamond told Aero-News that the certification program of the E4 engine lasted 42 months and cost 48 million euro (about $63.5 million US.) ‘The complete program developed into one that was significantly more complex than originally anticipated,’ said Diamond Aircraft CEO Christian Dries, who is also part of the Executive Management Team of Austro Engine GmbH. ‘Only the full dedication of all participants, specifically the Austrian and European Airworthiness Authorities, MB Tech, Bosch General Aviation Technologies and our employees, enabled the successful conclusion of the certification process.’ Austro had targeted a 26% increase in takeoff power over the 135 hp Thielert Centurion 2.0, a goal the current AE 300, as certified, fell just short of achieving. More importantly to Diamond, however, is the fact availability of the AE 300 gives the plane maker a diesel alternative to the troubled Thielert program. Diamond took it on the chin in 2008 with highly-publicized problems at Thielert, now under insolvency proceedings in Germany. While the plane maker says the situation has since improved, things are far from ideal on the Thielert front... and Diamond has since introduced a more powerful, though far more thirsty, avgas-powered IO360-equipped DA42 in an effort to keep the line going. Diamond states there are already 27 Diamond DA42 NG with AE300 engines on the production line, with type certification on those frames expected ‘imminently.’ The plane maker also plans to offer AE300-powered versions of the DA40 Diamond Star and the DA50 SuperStar, as well as the DA42-based Multi-Purpose Platform aircraft. Diamond is also actively encouraging owners of Thielert-equipped aircraft to swap out those engines for Austro diesels. A swap-in AE300 variant is under development. FAA certification for the AE300 is expected this year. (Aero-News 1/28/09) DieselAir Comments: We bring attention on the very informative mention of a cost of development towards certification: We always assessed it to a minimum of 50 million dollars based on figures of 2005. Here we read some 63 million, only to obtain the European certification. Because of present reciprocity agreements between FAA and EASA one could expect the FAA certification to be easier. However, we also expect the FAA, having been burned once with Thielert, to be as conservative as possible before the A300 is certified. - The weight of 408 Lbs for 152 HP sounds heavy. However, what matters is the final weight once the engine is fitted on the plane and STCd for that plane. We have seen good and bad surprises. Anyway we expect that, once mounted, the A300 will come out a bit heavier than the Thielert. posted at 3:14 AM |
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