One of the bonuses of building your own airplane is that you have more options for your powerplant. Bearhawk Aircraft owners will be able to choose the new DeltaHawk DHK180 engine, the manufacturer announced Wednesday.
DeltaHawk Engines Inc.’s new DHK180 piston engine, which was FAA certified in May, is heading toward production, the company announced last week at EAA AirVenture.
The engine, which was in development for 15 years, is a clean-sheet design and has the option to operate on jet fuel, which is more readily available than 100LL in many parts of the world.
“We are contacted often by pilots all over the world in locations where 100LL avgas is unavailable or very expensive,” said Mark Goldberg, president of Bearhawk Aircraft. “For these builders, the DeltaHawk represents a great option. In addition, many builders in the U.S. want alternative engine choices. The economical and Jet A burning DeltaHawk will be attractive.”
Bearhawk Aircraft are available in two-, four- and six-seat configurations. The airframe was designed to be a backcountry aircraft. Bearhawk designs can be plans built, and there are also quick-build options.
“Bearhawk designs are extraordinary aircraft in terms of payload and STOL capability, combined with fast cruise speeds,” said Dennis Webb, an aircraft engine designated engineering representative at DeltaHawk who directed the certification effort. “The DeltaHawk DHK180 in a Bearhawk will significantly expand its capabilities, especially with regard to altitude performance, range, and lower cost of operation.”
DeltaHawk company officials said the engine installation package for the Bearhawk four-seat design is currently under development.
The DeltaHawk DHK180 is the first small engine certified by the FAA since the 1960s. The company is currently ramping up the engine production process, anticipating deliveries to begin in the first half of 2024.
