Alternative To Thielert Centurion Series

An alert ANN News-Spy tipped us off Wednesday to the news the European Aviation Safety Agency has just approved the use of the Austro Engines AE300 turbodiesel engine for use in Part 23 certified aircraft.

Listed on the EASA documents as the "Diamond Aircraft Industries E4 series" -- Austro is closely tied to the planemaker -- the AE300 is rated at 166 hp takeoff power at 3880 rpm, with maximum continuous horsepower of 152 hp at 3550 rpm. As certified, the engine weighs around 408 lbs.

Conceived as a replacement for the Thielert Centurion series 1.7-liter and 2.0-liter engines previously offered in the DA40 and DA42 Twin Star, the AE300 uses the same Mercedes-Benz-sourced engine block as the Thielert engine, but with lighter top end components. The engine sports a clutchless gear box, a cast-iron crankcase, integral oil/coolant heat exchanger and improved turbocharger air induction and cooling systems.

Diamond tells ANN certification of the E4 engine was achieved after 42 months of "most intense development work," at a cost 48 million euro (about $63.5 million US.)

"The complete program developed into one that was significantly more complex than originally anticipated," said Diamond Aircraft CEO Christian Dries, who is also part of the Executive Management Team of Austro Engine GmbH. "Only the full dedication of all participants, specifically the Austrian and European Airworthiness Authorities, MB Tech, Bosch General Aviation Technologies and our employees, enabled the successful conclusion of the certification process."

Austro had targeted a 26% increase in takeoff power over the 135 hp Thielert Centurion 2.0... a goal the current AE 300, as certified, fell just short of achieving. More importantly to Diamond, however, is the fact availability of the AE 300 gives the planemaker a diesel alternative to the troubled Thielert program.

As ANN has reported, Diamond took it on the chin in 2008 with highly-publicized problems at Thielert, now under insolvency proceedings in Germany. While the planemaker says the situation has since improved, things are far from ideal on the Thielert front... and Diamond has since introduced a more powerful, though far more thirsty, avgas-powered IO360-equipped DA42 in an effort to keep the line going.

Diamond states there are already 27 Diamond DA42 NG with AE300 engines on the production line, with type certification on those frames expected "imminently." The planemaker also plans to offer AE300-powered versions of the DA40 Diamond Star and the DA50 SuperStar, as well as the DA42-based Multi-Purpose Platform aircraft.

Diamond is also actively encouraging owners of Thielert-equipped aircraft to swap out those engines for Austro diesels. A swap-in AE300 variant is under development.

FAA certification for the AE300 is expected this year.

FMI: www.austroengine.at, www.easa.eu.int/ws_prod/c/doc/Design_Appro/Engines/EASA.E.200%20TCDS.pdf