Alternative To Thielert Centurion Series
An alert ANN News-Spy tipped us off Wednesday to the news 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 planemaker -- 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 clutchless gear box, a cast-iron
crankcase, integral oil/coolant heat exchanger and improved
turbocharger air induction and cooling systems.
Diamond tells ANN certification of the E4 engine was
achieved after 42 months of "most intense development work," at a
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
planemaker a diesel alternative to the troubled Thielert
program.
As ANN has reported, Diamond took it on the
chin in 2008 with highly-publicized problems at Thielert, now under
insolvency proceedings in Germany. While the planemaker 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 planemaker 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.