Europeans see diesel engines that run on jet fuel as the future of general aviation, but the USA is not convinced
SMA has received US Federal Aviation Administration certification for the SR305-230 diesel engine, but is struggling to generate interest in the powerplant from general aviation manufacturers.
Cirrus Design and EADS Socata are testing the engine, but say they are not ready to offer a diesel option on their light aircraft ranges and are expected to wait until the engine enters production.
Maule, the first manufacturer to order the SR305-230, is set to install it on its M7 this quarter ready for flight testing.
SMA chief executive Jean-Marc de Raffin says as pressure increases to ban leaded fuel, diesel engines that can run on jet fuel will become the future of general aviation. The French manufacturer plans to extend diesel to its other products and has begun work on a diesel version of its SR230-300, with certification due in late 2003.
German diesel engine manufacturer Thielert has secured European certification for the TAE-135 diesel engine, but is not marketing the powerplant in the USA.
US engine developers, however, are less keen on pushing diesel products following the lack of aircraft manufacturer interest.
Textron Lycoming sales manager Ray Crist says the company is not due to fly its first diesel engine until late this year, with FAA certification not scheduled until 2004. Teledyne Continental began flying its first diesel engine, developed under NASA's General Aviation Propulsion programme, last quarter.
The US engine manufacturers are concentrating their efforts on full authority digital engine controls (FADEC), but development is slow.
Adam Aircraft and Lancair plan to certificate their A500 and Columbia 400 with FADEC-equipped engines within the next few months, following approval of Continental's TSIO-550. Cirrus is also evaluating this engine for its SR22, but chief executive Adam Klapmeier says it is not meeting "the expected minimums".
Lycoming also has been slow to certificate its FADEC-equipped IO-540 engine. Senior engineer Michael Sitar says certification has been postponed until early or mid-2003.
Source: Flight International
