The core product of Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, the Centurion 1.7 diesel aircraft engine, will now be installed in brand-new Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft. Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc. from Arlington, USA will be responsible for replacing the conventional engines. Van Bortel will then sell the diesel Cessnas worldwide. As the world's largest Cessna reseller, Van Bortel will be supported in its activities by Cessna Aircraft Company (Wichita, USA). Van Bortel is currently presenting its new product at the AOPA Convention in Palm Springs, USA. The cooperation will give general aviation pilots a further opportunity to purchase a brand-new aircraft with state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient and easy-to-operate diesel engine technology. Thielert has been offering retrofit kits for older Cessna 172 for the past three years.

At the AOPA in Palms Springs the world's largest Cessna reseller Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc. announced that starting from now brand-new Cessna 172 Skyhawks would be equipped with the Centurion 1.7 piston aircraft engines. To this end the conventional, air-cooled gasoline engine will be replaced by a state-of-the art Centurion 1.7 diesel engine that can also run on the standard aviation fuel kerosene. As of now, customers can therefore purchase the Cessna 172, the world's most frequently sold aircraft, with a kerosene engine and thereby become less dependent on conventional aviation gasoline, the availability of which is declining dramatically worldwide. Equipped with the latest technology such a single lever control, the engine also features a constant speed propeller, full authority digital engine control (FADEC) as well as a turbo charger for improved performance at high altitudes.

"We are proud of our cooperation with the world's largest Cessna reseller," says Frank Thielert, Managing director of Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH. "The installation of our Centurion engine in brand-new Cessna Skyhawks presents buyers with yet another chance to switch over to the new generation of diesel-powered aircraft."

Van Bortel has already put the first retrofitted Skyhawks into operation and uses them for demo flights. "We are amazed at how little fuel the Centurion engines use compared to the 180-bhp avgas engines," explains Howard G. van Bortel, president of Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc. "We are highly impressed by the quality and engineering of both the Centurion engine and the retrofit kits. Up to now no Skyhawk has been able to climb to 12,000 feet so quickly." Jasper M. Wolffson, Head of Sales and Service at Thielert, is also very enthusiastic about the cooperation: "The cooperation with Van Bortel Aircraft is opening up new sales channels for Thielert as well as further opportunities in the general aviation market."

In addition to considerable fuel savings, the Centurion engines offer a host of other technical benefits:

- Qualitative mixture control: Only the desired amount of fuel is injected - the engine always operates at the optimal mixture. By design, a diesel engine cannot be destroyed by lean run.

- Self Sparking: No danger of uncontrolled detonation, since fuel is not introduced until the optimal moment of combustion.

- Jet fuel piston engines are extremely robust. As a result of their combustion process, the peak combustion chamber pressure is extremely high event at partial load. As opposed to a gasoline engine, the jet fuel engine is designed for continuous high stress, making it suitable for aviation applications.