Austrians develop diesel engine for Diamond Aircraft

Fellow Austrians Austro Engine and STEYR MOTORS have announced a joint project to build an all new diesel engine for future Diamond Aircraft projects.

A cooperation agreement between the two companies to develop a 280hp six-cylinder diesel aircraft engine was signed last week. The new engine will be based on the STEYR Monoblock engine M1, a powerplant that, while not known to aviation, has proven its robustness in marine and special vehicle service.

The two Austrian engine specialists are jointly developing the engine for a pair of forthcoming models from Austrian GA aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft: the single engine five-place DA50 Magnum that is aimed at the Cirrus SR22 market, and the somewhat ambiguously titled FSA (Future Small Aircraft) twin engine private/utility aircraft.

It’s claimed that the new engine will be the most powerful diesel GA aircraft engine on the market when it arrives, offering an increase of around 110hp for the new Diamonds. It will also be able to run on Jet-A fuel.

STEYR MOTORS says the collaboration with Austro Engine validates the M1 concept and its favorable power-to-weight ratio, operational safety, economy and minimised environmental impact.

“Following our successes in the marine and special vehicle sectors, we are especially pleased that our M1 concept will now also find applications in aviation,” Dr. Rudolf Streicher of STEYR MOTORS said. “With Austro Engine, we have gained an especially competent and innovative partner.”

Development, certification and production of these new Diamonds will take place at Diamond’s Wiener Neustadt facility, and Diamond aims to test the new engine on a DA50 later this year.