Racine, WI -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/10/2009 -- DeltaHawk Engines, Inc. and LoPresti Speed Merchants have begun work on a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to install a DeltaHawk Turbo-Diesel engine in a Cirrus SR20. The SR20 will be the first aircraft certified with the DeltaHawk engine.

The Jet-A fueled DeltaHawk Turbo-Diesel engine has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any aero-diesel engine. Its extraordinarily simple design provides high reliability and very low maintenance. On a typical mission it burns 30-40% less fuel than a gasoline engine, and it develops 100% of rated horsepower to 18,000 feet. When matched with the SR20 airframe, the package will offer higher payload and greatly enhanced range and speed. In addition, with Jet fuel available worldwide, the newly powered SR20 can be fueled anywhere in the world now and after 100LL is no longer available.

LoPresti Speed Merchants is known for making airplanes go fast. LoPresti’s expertise will offer a highly efficient and attractive cowl matched to DeltaHawk’s compact engine, bringing aerodynamic performance not available with a conventionally powered SR20.

“We are excited to be teamed with LoPresti for this project,” said Diane Doers, CEO of DeltaHawk. “The DeltaHawk-LoPresti collaboration is leading the way to the future of general aviation. The performance and value of the SR20 aircraft is going to be greatly enhanced. And this is just the first of many STCs that will be coming.”

“Our intention is to bring the DeltaHawk STC to market as fast as a bunny rabbit,” added Rj Siegel of LoPresti. “We are rabid fans of this engine and although it may seem that we have a wild hare up our butts, actually we just want to high tail it to market.”

Development work on the STC has been progressing for several months. SR20 Owners Tom Noonan and Steve Hart of Rochester, NY are providing their SR20 for the project, which is expected to be completed within a year.

DeltaHawk Engines brings “The Freedom to Fly … Higher, Farther, Faster for less” to the General Aviation world.

About DeltaHawk:
DeltaHawk Engines, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation, is designing and building a family of direct drive liquid-cooled diesel cycle aviation engines from 100 to 650 hp. Four-cylinder engine models (160-200 hp) are in pre-production and higher horsepower models are in development. The engines are designed to use commercial jet fuels (Jet A, Jet A-1), military diesel fuels (JP-5, JP-8) or commercial diesel fuels (including biodiesel). Type Certification of the first model is expected in 2010. DeltaHawk’s innovative light-weight fuel-efficient engines, providing turbine-like reliability at a fraction of the cost, will lead to a “green” future for general aviation.