Continental To Offer Diesel Retrofits In China

Continental Motors Group announced Thursday it will offer its CD-100 diesel series for existing light piston airplanes in China. The company has filed for a Chinese STC for the installation of its CD-135 and CD-155 engines in the Cessna 172, Piper PA-28 series and the Diamond DA40. It expects the STC to be granted in 2015. "We plan to support the growth of the Chinese pilot training market with a tailor-made concept," said Ken Suda, director of CMG and managing director of Technify Motors, the German subsidiary of CMG. "Flight schools will benefit from significantly lower cost operating a fleet of Continental diesel engines as compared to avgas-powered aircraft."

The retrofit will apply to Cessna models 172 F to S, Piper PA-151, 161 and 181 aircraft, and all DA40 models. The diesel engines will use no. 3 jet fuel, available at all Chinese airports, said Continental, a subsidiary of AVIC International Holding Corporation of Beijing. The FADEC-controlled, geared liquid-cooled CD-155 and CD-135 have the same weight but with a difference of 20 horsepower, the company said. Diesel engines for the light piston and flight training markets have drawn attention this year, including Textron's unveiling of a Cessna Turbo Skyhawk JT-A and Piper's new diesel-powered Archer DX -- powered by CD-155 engines, which are versions of the Thielert Centurion engine. Continental acquired Thielert in 2013.