Diamond's Twin Star: Are the Engines Ready?

摘要

In the realm of light-aircraft GA, engine development moves at a glacial pace if it moves at all. It's not that Lycoming and Continental haven't considered innovative engine ideas, it's just that neither has followed through with anything exciting. Thus, when Diamond Aircraft proposed to build a new 200-knot twin powered by a pair of diesel engines, buyers took notice in the way horseplayers occasionally bet a 30-to-1 shot. It would at least be interesting to watch. Yet a scant three years later, Diamond is shipping diesel-powered Twin Stars at the rate of three a week and demand and interest appear to be strong. The Thielert Aircraft Engine diesels that power both single and twin-engine versions of the Diamond Star represent one of the most innovative and rapidly developed engine initiatives we've seen. The diesel twin isn't available for the U.S. market yet but probably will be within two years. A Lycoming version powered by a pair of 180-HP IO-360s is expected to be certified and available for the U.S. market later this year or early next. The Lycoming version was expected to appear at Oshkosh in July.