Wilksch Airmotive (WAM) has sold the first year's production slots on its new three-cylinder diesel engine for light aircraft. The 90kW (120hp) WAM-120 CITEC powerplant is lined up for UK Popular Flying Association approval later this year and the first batch of 20 aircraft will be delivered in 2001.
The £10,000 ($15,000) WAM-120 CITEC engine, which recently completed flight testing on a Europa kitplane, will be offered as an alternative to the Textron Lycoming O-235, Teledyne Continental IO-240 and Rotax 914 pistons. "It will be [initially] sold directly to the non-certificated market mainly in Europe," says WAM founder Mark Wilksch.
WAM is also targeting the liquid-cooled powerplant at the factory-built aircraft market. Flight testing is under way aboard a single-engined Cessna 150 with a view to clinching European certification next year.
The WAM-120 programme, funded through public and private investment, is the first of three modular diesel powerplants under development at the company, based in Buckingham, UK. The 120kW WAM-160 four-cylinder engine is set for certification in around 2003, followed about two years later by the 150kW WAM-200 five-cylinder powerplant.
Source: Flight International
