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News of July 29, 2006

SMA Safran Group Announces FAA certification for Cessna 182 STC

Oshkosh AirVenture 2006 Jul 24, 2006: This is the FIRST FAA Approved STC installation of a compression ignition engine burning Jet A. Currently certified for the Cessna 182, Q & R models. At 11H00 on 24 July 2006 in OSHKOSH Wisconsin, the opening day of the worlds largest airshow, EAA AirVenture 2006, SMA, a SAFRAN owned company, welcomed the international press and the General Aviation community to witness a milestone not only in the history of SMA but also for the US General Aviation fraternity. CEO Luc Pelon announced that FAA certification of the Cessna 182 SMA powered SR305-230 Jet A fuel Piston Engine had been signed on 21 July 2006. SMA has arrived. It now joins the North American General Aviation Engine Market as a serious competitor offering customers an alternative choice with a powerplant that offers substantially reduced Life Cycle Costs. This certification is a major event that opens doors for the creation of new partnerships and further development of new SMA engine development and products.
DieselAir Comment: Oshkosh witnessed two momentous events for the aero diesel market. What we shall see now, thanks to the Diamond DA42 and the Cessna 182 SMA conversion, and the coming of the 172 Thielert for flight academies, is the real take off of the diesel aircraft in the US. The DA 42 is a serious competitor, pricewise, of the Bonanza and the Sarratoga. The 182 SMA, once fully remodelled with diesel engine, instruments, and a good corrosion inspection and new interior, is the low priced opportunity to own a cross country IFR airplane offering way more than a new 182 for a lower price. One remark: DieselAir undertook in 2002 a US market forecast for diesel aircraft. Our forecast was expecting only a dozen diesel planes flying in 2006, because we expected a very slow take off of the market due to length of certifications, need for customer service, need for training personnel, etc. The number of diesel airplanes on the US register today is at least 25 and more probably 30.

posted at 12:56 PM

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Mission Statement

Every month: news, facts, and comments on the coming revolution for piston-engines aircrafts between 130 and 400 HP: Retrofitting a diesel engine to run on Jetfuel or Kerosene, reduce Gallons/Hour by some 30%, eliminate ignition systems (magnetos, spark plugs) and their problems, eliminate mixture control, increase TBO to 2,400-3,000 hours, increase performance between 6,000 and 12,500 ft., and drastically reduce Operating Costs.

The letter is intended for piston engines aircraft owners, manufacturers, fleet operators and FBOs, re-manufacturers of engines for these aircrafts, manufacturers of engine components and ancillaries, and all professionals acting in decisions of engine exchange or refitting at TBO, in North and South America, Pacific Rim, African continent, and all parts of the world were Avgas, Mogas, Kerosene and Jetfuel are available.

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