DeltaHawk jet-fueled piston engine gets FAA certification

The 180-horsepower DHK180 is the Racine, Wisconsin, company’s first in a family of engines to come, according to a news release.

The engine is a clean-sheet design featuring an inverted V engine block, turbocharging and supercharging, mechanical fuel injection, liquid cooling, direct drive, and 40 percent fewer moving parts than other engines in its category, the company said. It is said to be 40 percent more fuel efficient than engines burning avgas. It is slimmer and smaller than a traditional piston engine, and will operate on both Jet A and sustainable aviation jet fuels, DeltaHawk said.

It’s been a long road for the company and the engine. Development of the diesel engine has been ongoing since 2007. By 2015 there was talk that the company would begin to deliver engines by the end of 2016, but that did not happen. Company officials said the delay was because of efforts to continue improving components that would result in better efficiencies and longer engine life. In 2019 DeltaHawk brought a Cirrus SR20 retrofitted with the diesel engine to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

With certification in hand, DeltaHawk is ready to take deposits for production slot reservations from aircraft owners, with a goal to start delivering engines and engine kits in 2024. A $1,000 refundable deposit is required. See the website for additional information.