This year, DeltaHawk Engines, Inc. features its Jet-A burning diesel engine in a Cirrus SR20. This proof-of-concept prototype is currently undergoing flight testing, with the intent of obtaining an engine STC as soon as Type CERTIFICATION is obtained. The aircraft was recently flown from Florida to Oshkosh and during EAA AirVenture.
Flight testing to-date has been performed by Nathan Zucker, a Cirrus Certified Instructor Pilot and Aerospace Engineer, and Doug Doers, DeltaHawk’s CTO.
“I am very impressed with the DeltaHawk engine. Through the testing process, the engine has proven itself to run very smoothly, with minimal vibration relative to the Continental,” according to Mr. Zucker. “The efficiency of the engine is remarkable. We completed a 6 hour non-stop, un-refueled leg, with IFR reserves! This engine has unbelievable potential.”
The sleek lines of the Cirrus are a natural fit for the DeltaHawk engine. The engine's very compact size and liquid cooling allow for a highly aerodynamic cowl, flowing smoothly from the spinner to the fuselage, providing reduced drag and a look previously only available with turbo-props.
The DeltaHawk engine is 30-40% more fuel efficient than comparable gasoline engines, and when combined with the unique aerodynamic advantages, the resulting overall efficiencies are bound to set new benchmarks in aircraft performance.
Designed by pilots for pilots, DeltaHawk engines are both turbo and super-charged, providing extraordinary altitude performance. Redundant air, fuel, and cooling systems provide exceptional peace-of-mind, while single lever control lessens pilot workload.
In engineering, simple can be hard. The elegantly simple design of the DeltaHawk engine is the result of many years of R&D and testing, resulting in an engine that requires only about 1/3 of the parts of competitive engines. In addition, DeltaHawk does not have the extraordinarily complex electronic systems that most other engines require. Less parts and no electronics translate into higher reliability and serviceability virtually anywhere around the globe and a lower overall cost of ownership.
The innovative DeltaHawk engine will change piston engine aircraft design and utilization worldwide. This has not gone unnoticed, and there are currently over 41 aircraft models around the world being designed around the DeltaHawk Engine. Production of non-certified engines will start in the fourth quarter this year, with FAA CERTIFICATION anticipated by the middle of 2015.
Watch DeltaHawk's website for updates regarding SR20 flight data and on other soon-to-be-announced projects, and look for the Cirrus and other DeltaHawk powered aircraft at airshows this year.
DeltaHawk Engines: The freedom to fly Higher, Farther, and Faster For Less…Worldwide
For more information: www.deltahawkengines.com or contact Dennis Webb at [email protected].
More: www.deltahawkengines.com
