Deltahawk article

[cjensen]

here's an update from their website.

newpaper article

[Neil]

The engine may well be the greatest ever to designed and built.. And I would love to have a diesel like Deltahawk to power my 9A. What seems so commercially dumb is their lack of foresight to develop a FWF kit. Will they survive without a FWF package ?? Maybe/maybe not. One of the reasons I believe Eggenfellner is so successful is their package and support.

[rv8ch]

Originally Posted by Neil

The engine may well be the greatest ever to designed and built.. And I would love to have a diesel like Deltahawk to power my 9A. What seems so commercially dumb is their lack of foresight to develop a FWF kit. Will they survive without a FWF package ?? Maybe/maybe not. One of the reasons I believe Eggenfellner is so successful is their package and support.

I agree with you 100%. If the Eggenfellner kit was not a complete FWF package, he would not have my money. The engineering of the extra stuff that makes an engine run is critially important, and the cause of most (all?) alternative engine forced landings. This is an area where the Lycomings are *way* ahead, since there is so much experience, huge installed base, and many choices for suppliers. To expect a "regular" builder to create their own FWF package for a new engine is surprising. I vaguely recall that they were working with a different company to come out with some FWF kits. Hopefully this will happen.

Success in business is not complex, and it's rare that you have to actually have an original idea. In fact, copying what someone else has done, but doing it better/cheaper/faster has been proven to be a great way to be successful. It seems the rotary/diesel/V6 guys could learn a thing or two from Eggenfellner.

[ericwolf]

Originally Posted by Neil

The engine may well be the greatest ever to designed and built.. And I would love to have a diesel like Deltahawk to power my 9A. What seems so commercially dumb is their lack of foresight to develop a FWF kit. Will they survive without a FWF package ?? Maybe/maybe not. One of the reasons I believe Eggenfellner is so successful is their package and support.

I know a fair amount about Deltahawk since a few of the employees are in my EAA chapter and I have attended a couple of thier presentations. They are really only going after the military drone market and eventually the certified GA market. Selling to the experimentals is secondary and the volume probably doesn't justify a FWF kit.

[gmcjetpilot]

I know little of the technical issues of the engine, but a quick look at their web site, I have to say a nice looking engine. I like, a lot, they have real data, realistic, consistent, believable data.

A few quotes from the article:

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"In five or 10 years, a lot of leaded gasoline engines are going to be worthless," Pierpont said (I guess we gas engine owners should be worried )

"DeltaHawk's principal owners have worked without paychecks, pouring their own money into the company. "our lights nearly flickered out a couple of times," Doers said.

"We are right in step with our competitors," Doers said. "Two of them received their certification earlier, but technical issues are slowing their entry into the marketplace."

"It might be another 18 months before DeltaHawk gets FAA certification, an arduous process with many hurdles and tons of paperwork. But with certification, the company could be well-positioned for selling engines to commercial aircraft companies such as Cessna and Cirrus Design."

Now, DeltaHawk seeks about $3 million to continue engineering and ramp up production.

DeltaHawk has received eight factory-made engines from Kurt Manufacturing, and another 45 are in various stages of assembly. Each engine will sell for about $27,000.

The company expects to sell 325 engines in 2007, bringing in roughly $8.78 million in revenue.

"Funding is the biggest obstacle to making our next leap," Doers said.

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Seems like a big challenge but enthusiasm is not lacking, best of luck to them. I do find comments of the demise of gas engines, mixed with their financial problems, mixed with their future prediction of sales, to be bold and unrealistic. However lets hope they get it to market and stay around. Nice looking engine. The high altitude +16,000 feet performance with 100% power available would be awesome. I don't see it as much for a small sport plane but cool for a high flying pressurized corporate twin.

With any of these engines (water cooled) the whole installation needs to be figured into the mix. They are not offering installation kits. Cessna and Cirrus does not sell that many planes, and wounder if the OEM's are willing (able) to alter their airframe design to utilize a water cooled engine. There is as always the weight and radiator issues. Workable but it has to be worked.

Sounds like a real challenge, but to say gas piston engines will be here at least for our lifetime. There is too much inertia with Gas engines to be "worthless" in 5 (or 10) years. Making any engine from scratch for the aircraft market takes big cojones. Cool engine.

George

[Darrell514]

I found this site which might be a help in FWF kit. Sounds like someone will have one in an RV at OSH.

http://www.deltahawkengines-europe.com

Darrell
RV9QB

[flyingdefinescontent]

Oh man, I would love to see one mounted and flying, just to be able to get some of my concerns out of the way. This thing is a two-stroke. I've had some experience with older two stroke diesels and they were loud, loud, LOUD! Loud enough to rattle fillings (and rivets loose). And they used a bunch of fuel as compared to their 4-stroke brethren. On the other hand I drove a 6V92 Detroit diesel equipped truck, fully loaded (80,000 pounds), 15 miles to our mechanic at about 50 miles per hour after the crankshaft broke. The truck shook alot but never missed a beat, amazing.

I'd love to see this engine become economically viable.

Carey Bowman
0 RV flights
0 building hours
1 fattening RV purchase account

[mdredmond]

I'm more interested in the Thielert diesels. They're only 135hp, but they'd be fine on a -9 and they sip fuel. Certified in Europe.

Problem is, they won't work with 'end-users' - they will only deal with a kit manufacturer to develop a FWF package.

Diesel is so much better for so many reasons...

[aparchment]

Pardon my newbie ignorance, but what are the advantages to diesel?

Antony

[mdredmond]

Well here's just a start (I don't have time to look everything up):

1. Better fuel consumption (diesel is denser than Avgas or gasoline and thus while it weighs more, it packs more power per gallon) - up to 30% or so less fuel / hour for the same power.

2. In addition to burning less, fuel is cheaper. In Texas, I can use tax-free agricultural diesel (i.e., the stuff sold to farmers) and save at least $0.38 per gallon.

3. No carb icing (no carbs!)

4. No need to lean (this is a hypertechnical subject), so no mixture control.

5. MUCH safer - much less flammable than gasoline. Liquid diesel is hard to light with a match. This could be important to the guy pinned under his overturned nosedragger

Etc...