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When will a diesel be available for my aircraft? |
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News, facts, and comments on the coming revolution for piston-engine aircraft.
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News of June 06, 2009When will a diesel option be available for the Beech Bonanza?We receive many such questions: I own a 1974 Bonanza F33A which I would like to convert to diesel. My engine is at TBO and converting it now would be great. Can you please give me some info on how I would go about finding a company to do this? Answer: Many Bonanza owners think naturally of a diesel for replacement of their engines at TBO: With a diesel of 300HP, the Bonanza would considerably gain in range and safety and since it already is a serious, fast IFR cross country plane, it would become a very attractive low cost alternative to a Piper Meridian. And there are lots of Bonanzas around available for conversion. The only 300HP diesel flying today - as a prototype - is the Thielert/Centurion V8. The bankruptcy of its manufacturer has put its development and FAA certification on hold. Until then it was flying on one or two one Cessna 206 demos, another obvious candidate for such an engine. We don't know as of now when Centurion will seriously resume certification of that engine, and do not expect news until Centurion is merged or acquired, which should not take too long now. Other 300HP diesels in the making are not flying yet. We expect - these are my guesses only - the next ones to fly would be the SMA 6 cylinder, the Continental project (although no one knows what it will look like) and possibly a DeltaHawk 2-stroke, both around 2012. Lycoming is talking in very vague terms about a multifuel engine capable of burning alternatively Jetfuel, Mogas, Avgas and new fuels such as the SWIFT, but it would be an ignition engine. Bill Lawson, a regulal panelist, reminds us that the US Army and Navy have been or are using such multi-fuel ignition engines for truck and marine applications. So the field is open but nothing is available right now. Whichever is the first, we expect it to be on the 206. For two reasons: the 206 is used by professionals who fly intensively and badly need an alternative to Avgas, less and less available where these planes are invaluable for humanitarian missions and local micro-cargo jobs. Also, putting an engine on a fixed gear airplane or a tail dragger is much easier than on a retractable single. So far, in fact, the only retractable single flying with a diesel is a SOCATA Trinidad, with the SMA engine. posted at 12:05 PM |
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