New diesel aero-engines attracted intense interest from Oshkosh visitors, with manufacturers promising substantial reductions in operating costs. Teledyne Continental unveiled details of its CSM 283 diesel engine being developed under NASA's General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) programme, Socata displayed the Morane Renault diesel engine intended to power a light-aircraft family based on its TB20, while Germany's Zoche announced plans to certificate two radial diesel aero-engines within a year.
All three engines are two-stroke, direct-injection diesels using jet fuel and offering substantial reductions in fuel consumption, noise and emissions, as well as increases in overhaul interval compared with conventional piston aero-engines. Continental's 150kW (200hp) CSM 283 is a four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, liquid-cooled engine which is being developed under a cost-sharing contract with NASA. Cirrus, Lancair and Piper will flight-test the engine in 1999 and certification is planned by 2001, says Continental.
The first flight of the Aerospatiale/Renault Morane engine is planned for September in a TB20, leading to certification by mid-1998. The family of liquid-cooled, horizontally opposed engines includes 135kW and 150kW direct-drive and 185kW and 225kW geared variants. The engine will cost about 20% more than the unit now powering the TB20, but fuel costs will be cut by 60%.
Munich-based Zoche plans to begin deliveries of four- and eight-cylinder versions of its air-cooled radial diesel within two years. The ZO-series engines will produce 110kW and 220kW, respectively. Flight testing will begin in 1998 on an Extra 300. Zoche says that its engine is lighter, more compact and creates less cooling drag than the equivalent conventional engine.
Wisconsin-based DeltaHawk plans to deliver its 150kW Vee-4 turbo-diesel in 1998, initially uncertificated, to power the Velocity kitplane. Ground runs have been under way since January.
Source: Flight International
