In anticipation of the first U.S. customer deliveries of the CENTURION 1.7 jet fuel/diesel piston engine powered Diamond DA42-TDI Twin Star aircraft, Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH today announced that it has reached an agreement with Superior Air Parts to hold a series of monthly maintenance training seminars at Superior’s Engine Build Center in Dallas, Texas.
 
“The CENTURION 1.7 jet fuel piston aircraft engine represents a new era for general aviation aircraft engine reliability, efficiency, performance and value,” explained Frank Thielert, CEO, Thielert Aircraft Engines. “We are committed to providing U.S. based operators with the highest quality and availability of qualified, factory trained technicians.”
 
“Our CENTURION 1.7 engine maintenance seminars will give Diamond Aircraft Service Center technicians, as well as, independent aircraft maintenance technicians the opportunity to receive personalized training on the maintenance and diagnostics of this new engine,” he continued, “with the goal of making its introduction to U.S. pilots and aircraft owners as smooth and efficient as possible.”

“Superior Air Parts is very proud that an innovative engine producer like Thielert has selected our engine build center to host these valuable training seminars,” Tim Archer, Superior’s President and CEO added. “Superior and Thielert have long shared a mutually beneficial relationship. They have been a supplier of innovative and high-quality components for a variety of Superior’s aftermarket and sport aviation engines for many years.”
 
Along with its use as a production engine for the new Diamond DA42-TDI aircraft, the CENTURION 1.7 is also STC’d as an aftermarket replacement engine on Cessna 172s and soon the Piper PA-28 series aircraft.
 
“As pilots and owners become more familiar with the many advantages of the CENTURION 1.7 engine we anticipate that it will become a very attractive alternative to standard Avgas burning piston engines,” Thielert said. “That’s why we are so enthusiastic about being able to use these maintenance seminars as a foundation to build a network of authorized service centers.”

The first of the series of CENTURION 1.7 maintenance training seminars will be held at Superior’s Engine Build Center on March 20, 2006. Each of the intensive two-day seminars will give the attending technician familiarity with the operation, troubleshooting and maintenance requirements of the CENTURION 1.7 jet fuel piston engine including the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) and Electrical Data Logging systems. 
 
Successful completion of the CENTURION 1.7 engine maintenance seminar will earn the attending technician factory authorization to perform inspections and maintenance on these new engines. It will also put the certified maintenance shop in compliance with factory Service Bulletin, TM TAE 000-0003, which states that the maintenance facility will be trained and equipped with specific tooling.
 
There is a $4,150 fee for a facility to become a factory authorized Thielert CENTURION 1.7 Service Center. The fee covers the basic tool set required to service the engine, including Thielert’s CAN Interface Software FADEC Service Tool and all the hand tools necessary for basic inspection and maintenance of the CENTURION 1.7 jet fuel piston engine.

Each Service Center will be able to send one technician to a CENTURION 1.7 Maintenance Seminar for no cost. (The fee does not cover the cost for travel, room and meal expenses for the attendee). A second technician from the same Service Center may attend the Seminar for an additional $600, (plus the cost of travel, room and meals).
 
Seminar graduates will also have access to Thielert’s proprietary web site to download the latest versions of relevant manuals, forms, Service Bulletins and Authorization Request Platform.

FMI: www.centurion-engines.com