(Racine, Wisconsin) The stroke of an official pen and the presentation of appropriate documents marked a milestone years in the making – as DeltaHawk Engines has received FAA Type Certification for its highly innovative, jet-fueled aircraft piston engine. The 180 horsepower DHK180 is the first of a family of engines to come from DeltaHawk.
Featuring an inverted-V engine block, turbocharging and supercharging, mechanical fuel injection, liquid cooling, direct drive, and 40% fewer moving parts than other engines in its category, the new DeltaHawk engine is a clean-sheet design secured by multiple patents. It is highly responsive and produces more usable torque than traditional aircraft engines in its class, all while burning significantly less fuel and with a resulting lower net carbon footprint. Its performance characteristics are extremely well-suited to a wide variety of conventional aircraft, as well as those powered by hybrid propulsion systems.
In addition, the engine’s slimmer shape and smaller size allows for more aerodynamic cowling designs and requires less space – all while providing extraordinary performance, ease of operation, and unmatched reliability. The engine is environmentally friendly, as well, thanks to its ability to burn both Jet-A and sustainable aviation jet fuels.
“We began by completely reimagining what a general aviation engine should be,” said Christopher Ruud, Chief Executive Officer at DeltaHawk. “And the result is that we now have a certified engine that is a game-changer. It’s been a long time coming but, in engineering, simple is hard. However, this engine’s performance, simplicity, and reliability have made it worth the time and the investment, as it is truly ‘Power Reimagined ®.’”
DeltaHawk has received extraordinary interest around the world from airframe manufacturers, kit builders and the military. In addition, the new engine was recently selected by NASA to power the hybrid propulsion system planned for its Subsonic Single Aft Engine Aircraft (SUSAN) scale flight test vehicle – a proof-of-concept electro-fan design for future regional transport aircraft. The new DeltaHawk engine has also been selected by Ampaire for an upcoming aircraft testbed application in support of NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research initiative.
With FAA certification now in hand, performance and technical upgrades are now underway, along with additional endurance testing and flight evaluations in multiple aircraft. Production ramp-up has begun, and production slot reservations are now being taken online at the company’s website (www.deltahawk.com). First engine deliveries are expected to commence in 2024.
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