Diamond Diesel Goes Great Guns

Was it really only early this year that Diamond announced certification approval for its DA-40TDI diesel-powered Star? Yes, it was, but the company says it has experienced unusually strong demand for this aircraft in Europe. Thus far, 25 of the diesel-powered Stars have been sold in Europe and the orders continue to pour in. The DA-40-TDI is powered by the Thielert Centurion 1.7 (formerly the TAE 125) diesel, an engine that debuted here at OSH several years ago. The attraction for European customers is obvious: Jet-A is less expensive than gasoline in Europe and more widely available. Since the Thielert engine uses less of it, it yields a dual advantage that halves the direct hourly fuel costs for the Star. How about a U.S. version? Not just yet, says Diamond, but as interest in diesels grows, we think the model will prove attractive here, too.