EASA STC Centurion 2.0s for PA28 - Models 151 and 161 - DA42 to follow
Lichtenstein, Germany – Centurion Aircraft Engines now also offers the 155 hp diesel aircraft engine Centurion 2.0s for retrofitting the Diamond DA40. The European Aircraft Safety Agency (EASA) authorized the retrofit at the mid of April 2012, and production launch of the new Centurion retrofit kit is underway. First demo flights take place. Orders are being accepted as of immediate effect and deliveries will commence in summer 2012. Piper PA28 operators retrofitting their avgas engine or exchange their old Centurion can now choose between two replacement engines: the well-known, fuel-efficient Centurion 2.0 and the more powerful Centurion 2.0s. Both engines feature excellent performance, efficiency, and reliability. The Piper PA28 is the forth aircraft model — after the Cessna 172, Diamond DA40 and Robin DR400 — that can be equipped with the Centurion 2.0s. The Diamond DA42 is to follow.
The 155 hp Centurion 2.0s power pack is now certified in Europe for retrofitting the Piper PA28. The PA28 of the Cherokee, Cadet and Warrior I to III series are one of the best-selling general aviation aircraft of the last decades. The worldwide fleet counts over 33,000 units. The series 28-151 and -161 have been certified. The Centurion 2.0s is the more powerful version of the well-known and proven fuel-efficient Centurion 2.0. Despite having identical weight and dimensions, its power exceeds the oneof the basic model by 20 hp. In combination with the Piper aircraft it makes a powerful team. “A modern diesel piston engine in one of the best proven airframes of general aviation makes the Piper an everyday partner. With 20 hp more power thanks to the Centurion 2.0s, it will also become a top performer,” commented Centurion’s CEO, Jasper M. Wolffson.
At 100 percent load, it reaches a top cruising speed of 133 KTAS. This 100 percent performance can be obtained up to an altitude of 8,000 ft. The average fuel consumption of Jet Fuel or Diesel (DIN EN 590) during flight is 22.1 l/h at a speed of 110 KTAS (at 70% power, 6,000 ft.). The very good climb rate up to an altitude of 6,000 ft. averages approximately 658 ft/min and the takeoff roll of 255 m is also very short. The range with a standard tank is up to 850 NM (all values with MTOW and standard ISA). The maximum takeoff weight is 1,107 kg. Like all aircraft equipped with a Centurion engine, the PA28 also has a fully electronic engine and propeller control system with single-lever control. The time between replacement (TBR) for the Centurion 2.0s is currently still 1,200 flight hours. The goal is to extend the TBR to 1,500 hours, as it is the case for the Centurion 2.0. On the production side, the company has intensively prepared itself for the new product in the recent weeks. Orders as well as requests for demo flights are accepted on from now. First deliveries will commence early this summer.
The Centurion series engines are distinguished by a high degree of fuel efficiency and reliability as can be seen in the Diamond DA42 TDI with Centurion 2.0 135 hp equipment, which has contributed a lot to Diamonds success in the last years. Currently third parties prepare a DA42 version with 155 hp Centurion 2.0s that convinces with low weight in all nearly ten first test flights.
In contrast to the competition, Centurion engines were developed under the assumption that they could be integrated with the same weight under existing cowlings. This enables their use in a wide range of aircraft, as well as the technically simple replacement of the Centurion 1.7 with the Centurion 2.0, which can be carried out in all aircraft. Both engines feature above-average reliability. According to data from the FAA, general aviation aircraft experience an average of 10 in-flight shutdowns (IFSD) for every 100,000 flight hours. The shutdown rate of Centurion engines is approximately 50 percent lower and may be even less. For example, in the period since the market launch in 2003, the shutdown rate for all Centurion engine models has been 5.46 shutdowns per 100,000 flight hours. Over the past 52 weeks, the shutdown rate of the currently latest engine model, the Centurion 2.0, was actually only 2.32 IFSD per 100,000 flight hours. This makes it one of the most reliable piston engines in general aviation. As logical technical enhancements, the Centurion 2.0 and 2.0s possess a range of advantages over the 1.7 since they incorporate the entire field experience gained with the predecessor model. The cumulative flight hours of the Centurion fleet increased over the same period by half a million to now 2.75 million hours. “With the market launch of the Centurion 1.7 in 2002, we provided the decisive stimulus for the development of alternative propulsion systems for small aircraft. So far, the currently series-produced Centurion 2.0 and Centurion 2.0s successor models account for 1.4 million flight hours. In sum, well over 3,000 Centurion engines have been delivered so far,” explained Centurion’s CEO Jasper M. Wolffson.
