September, 2006. 

DeltaHawk’s transition into production is continuing – a major and often challenging process, as anyone with product development experience is aware.  Among the many transition tasks, some of the most critical and time-consuming are:

·   upgrading all drawings and specifications to ASME and FAA standards,

·   getting all engine components manufactured by our new production supplier chain, and then

·   testing those components and assemblies. 

Those key tasks are still in process, and will continue to be for a number of months.  Over the years our enthusiasm has resulted in some unrealistic schedule predictions for R&D progress and production availability.  We know we have lots of good company in this failing, but that doesn’t make us (or those anxiously awaiting their engines) any happier.   We remain committed to completing the job and delivering an exciting new engine that will meet or exceed the expectations of all who have waited.  The aviation diesel engine revolution is beginning.  As we have always planned, DeltaHawk will be the first U.S. company leading the way.

Following are some brief paragraphs on other specific areas of interest. 

Vibration & Mass Moment of Inertia Analysis

Vibration surveys on the DeltaHawk/Velocity installation and MMI analysis of the engine have been completed, the data have been provided to engine vibration and mount specialists for analysis, and their recommendations for minimizing vibration transmission to the airframe have been received.   In addition to using the recommendations for in-house development, DeltaHawk is developing a version of the material that will be easy to use by others for mount development.  They will be posted on the FTP site as soon as they are ready.  

Horsepower Confirmation Tests

Building on the long-established performance of the DeltaHawk 160 hp model, work has been underway to finalize the configuration of the 180 and 200 hp models.  Development areas have included injection nozzles and timing, turbocharger variants and intercooling.  The primary objective has been to achieve the design power outputs without sacrificing engine life.  While the work is still under way, we have a high level of confidence that our stated objectives for all higher horsepower models will be met.

Propeller Tests

An MT Propeller model has been approved for use with the DeltaHawk.  Work is underway with two other companies, testing both two and three bladed propellers, fixed pitch and constant speed.  Announcements of propeller accomplishments will be posted on the main page.  

Endurance Testing

Tests have been underway over the years on various generations of components and assemblies.  Ground based testing has and is being carried out by DeltaHawk and commercial development customers.  An endurance program currently underway in the DeltaHawk dynamometer is putting inverted engine models through an endurance test program, with extended full-power operation modes as part of the cycle plan.  The objective is to put the engine through operational stresses that mimic and in some cases exceed those experienced in normal flight usage. 

In addition to identifying potential remaining design improvements, this test program is the “shakedown cruise” for the new manufacturing supply chain and DeltaHawk’s communication of specifications to them.  It is going well, experiencing the usual stops and starts of shakedowns but overall providing validation of the essential soundness of the engine.

Flight Tests

The diesel-powered Velocity made the flight to Sun ‘n Fun this year, with a stop at Embry-Riddle University.  A few final data-gathering flights at 18,000 ft MSL are planned, but otherwise flight operations remain on the back burner until the Velocity engine can be upgraded to our current production model following completion of the endurance testing.  At that time, the current N211JP aircraft will be turned over to its owner (DeltaHawk co-founder and major shareholder John P. Brooks) for demonstration and promotional operations based on the West Coast.  A new company aircraft will be put into operation with a production-generation engine for our FAA Certification program as well as continued testing and demonstrations.  Both new installations will incorporate what we’ve learned from the mount investigations, so that at long last we will have demonstrators (and test aircraft) with the “latest and greatest” instead of “four generations old”.

Thus far, in-flight performance characteristics of the engine have been even more favorable than those observed in our ground testing program.  In addition, restart with a stopped propeller has been demonstrated at 14,000 ft MSL.  Full power operation (critical altitude) exceeds 18,000 ft MSL.  Climb rate in the Velocity is >1,000 ft/min at 17,500 ft MSL.

Delivery of Production Engines

Kurt Manufacturing Company (Minneapolis, MN) now produces or sources all major parts and components for DeltaHawk engines.  Over the past year they have assumed more and more inspection, assembly and test responsibilities under the supervision of DeltaHawk staff.  A small pre-production run of engines has been in test for a year; a variety of adjustments have been made and re-tested.   One of the pre-production engines is now serving as the endurance test engine.  DeltaHawk management is committed to delivering engines as soon as possible, but not “before their time”.  The first full production batch of engines is in-process, but on hold for final completion operations until management gives a Production Release commitment based on endurance program results at a minimum of 300 hours (or up to 500 hours) on all major components.   Production deliveries can begin within ~120 days following Production Release.

FAA Certification

The Certification process for the DeltaHawk 180 hp engine is underway; addition of other four-cylinder models to the Type Certificate will follow as rapidly as possible after the initial TC.  Announcements of certification milestones will be posted as appropriate on the main page.

Development Partners and Distribution

DeltaHawk enjoys the support of a number of individuals and companies in developing engine installations.   Early DeltaHawk partners are developing installations for Experimental and Certified (future STC [Supplemental Type Certificate]) fixed wing aircraft, experimental rotary wing aircraft, fixed and rotary wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and non-aviation mobile power applications.  Some of these partners have engines in ground or hover test while others have mockup engines for installation development and will be among the first to receive engines from our pre-production and production deliveries.

In addition, DeltaHawk has begun developing its worldwide marketing presence.  Active representatives are in place in Europe, Australia, and a number of other countries.  Further opportunities for cooperative service and support ventures are in planning stages.