Diamond Aircraft has earned European certification for an Austro-engine-powered version of its Twin Star, the DA42 NG. The certification came on the heels of European certification of the Austro AE300 turbodiesel engine, developed by Diamond sister company Austro Engine for use in the revived twin. FAA approvals for both the airplane and engine are expected to follow shortly.
The AE300 diesel engine will not only go into new-production DA42 Twin Stars, 40 of which were already on the production line at Diamond’s Austria factory, but Diamond and Austro plan to offer a retrofit solution to existing DA42s that are equipped with the Thielert Centurion 2.0 diesels. Thielert declared insolvency last year, throwing Diamond’s Twin Star program into disarray. Diamond has not yet announced the details or timing of any retrofit program, though owners of Thielert-powered airplanes are surely eager to learn of them.
