Continental Motors has finished the certification process for its big turbodiesel, the 6-cylinder CD-300 with an output of 300hp. EASA is expected to issue the type certificate shortly.

Rhett Ross, CEO of Continental, said they intend to market the engine to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) as an alternative to avgas engines rather than as an aftermarket conversion. Part of the reason is that the CD-300 is a V6 design, narrower but taller than, say, existing flat-six aero engines. It would require considerable re-engineering of the engine bay, particularly on aircraft with retractable undercarriage.

Continental also announced that the CD-155 turbodiesel has been approved by both EASA and the FAA for Cessna’s latest 172 equipped with Garmin NXi avionics.

One company planning to convert its entire fleet of 18 aircraft – two Cessna 172 and 16 Piper Warriors – from avgas engines to Jet A burning CD-155s is Perkasa Flight School of Indonesia. Avgas is three times the price of Jet A in Indonesia, and with the CD-155 using less fuel as well, the school estimates it will save $40/hr per aircraft on fuel.

Factory investment

Continental’s Chinese owners are to invest $60m in Continental’s main manufacturing plant at Mobile, Alabama, USA over the next three years. It will be used to built a state-of-the-art facility with advanced processes including additive manufacturing – better known as ‘3D printing’.

Continental Motors says it plans to transform the way it designs, manufactures, certifies and support products. “There will be a new customer and technical service infrastructure to assist customers through phone, email, and app support, regardless of their location in the world, 24/7/365.”

Continental Motors