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Following the problems with the Thielert company (legal actions against its owners) Diamond aircraft has now announced that it will speed up its plans to replace the Thielert Centurion diesel engines for its DA42 Twin Star aircraft with Lycoming engines. Diamond has also requested the European Aviation Safety Agency for approval to provide technical support and parts for Thielert engines. Just to be on the safe side. The problems with Thielert are a major blow to the light aircraft industry.

Comment: We expect this prepares an option to be offered to DA42 owners and customers having placed an order while the Austro Engine substitute to the Thielert engine is being certified.

News of June 17, 2008

An important Message to our Subscribers.

Many of our subscribers are not receiving our messages because they are blocked by their anti-spam device. We understand such precautions today. The consequence is that our messages are returned to us with a request to comply with an identification procedure. However we cannot spend time complying individually with each one: We have too many subscribers today.
Please modify your antispam protection so that it identifies our incoming email, from sender: atc@dieselair.com. We remind you that subscriptions are free of charge under the condition that you provide identification data (at least first and last name, business name, email address, city, country, and one phone number) and take dispositions to receive our messages.
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Andre Teissier-duCros, Publisher

News of June 15, 2008

Do you own a Thielert equipped airplane?

If you do, DieselAir proposes helping all owners of DA42, DA40, Cessna 172 conversions, Robin DR400 Ecofuel the following way: Send us for publication both your needs in spare parts and what spare parts you happen to have have available. We will create a specific mailing list and send on it all info we have on both availabilities and needs with contact information. Maybe it can help a while until Diamond Air can offer as hoped a retrofit with their new Thielert substitute.
Andre Teissier-duCros, Publisher.

Lycoming Announces Plans to Certify Engines On Mogas

Lycoming aims To Receive Approval For IO/O-360s By Fall 08. Aero-News comments: 'Maybe diesel power isn't the ONLY answer to ever-tightening supplies of 100 low-lead fuel. Recognizing global concerns about the immediate and long-term availability of aviation grade 100LL, on Monday Lycoming Engines announced an unleaded automotive gasoline approval program for its standard compression ratio O-360 and IO-360 product lines. Unleaded 93 AKI automotive gasoline conforming to either Euro Norm EN228 or ASTM D4814 will be the basis of this Lycoming specified fuel. Supplemental requirements within the scope of the existing standards will be stated as necessary for safe operation in aviation applications. Approval is expected by Fall 2008. Lycoming stresses the program will be an engine approval only; aircraft certification approval must be obtained separately to permit operation with this fuel. Lycoming piston engines power more than half of the world's general aviation fleet -- both rotary-wing and fixed-wing. (www.aero-news.net 6/2/08)

DieselAir Comment: Mogas is not available on a vast majority of airfields. We cannot imagine for the long term that small airfields in North America and the world would envision distributing 3 different fuels instead of only one, Jetfuel.

News of June 06, 2008

Thielert Engine Owners Form Action Group to pressure Thielert AG and Diamond Aircraft : See www.thenog.org

LOUISVILLE, June, 4, 2008 -- Reeling from uncertainty surrounding the insolvency of German aircraft engine manufacturer Thielert AG, owners of Thielert-powered aircraft have organized and retained German legal counsel to represent their interests. The Thielert Engine Owners Group (THENOG) was formed last week to protect the investment of nearly 1,000 affected aircraft owners, including about 900 owner/operators of Diamond Aircraft DA42 twin-engine and DA 50 single-engine aircraft. Nearly 50 percent of those aircraft are currently grounded and nearly all may be rendered uneconomical to operate, depending on the outcome of the Thielert situation. Owner/operators of Thielert-powered aircraft have been treated to a horror-show of bad news over the last three weeks, including the unexpected and sudden cancellation of engine warranties, quadrupled engine-part prices, a variety of service bulletins on the engines that force early engine repairs and replacements, and uncertainty over parts supplies. Over the past three weeks, owners have found the cost of Thielert engine maintenance rising by as much as 800% and have received confusing and contradictory messages about parts availability. As a result, many users have been forced to mothball their aircraft till further notice. Unexpected and unanticipated economic losses from the aircraft groundings are currently totaling about $1 million (

U.S.

) per week, said Todd House, a founder and director of the group, who is President of YourJet LLC, a startup air-taxi company in Louisville, Ky. that currently operates a D42 aircraft.
Complicating matters is an acrimonious and public battle of charges and counter-charges between Thielert, and Diamond Aircraft, the largest manufacturer of Thielert-powered airplanes. ‘Diamond and Thielert have engaged in a war of words, while afflicted aircraft owners watched helplessly from the sidelines,’ Mr. House said. ‘That all changes now,’ he said. Thielert-powered aircraft owners can now participate in the process by registering their interest and assigning their power of attorney at the Thielert Engine Owners Group website: www.thenog.org. ‘It is our goal to establish THENOG as a substantial creditor to Thielert due to the cumulative value of warranty agreements for our engines, said Vilis Ositis a THENOG founder and board member. ‘When the value of our warranties is established to the court we expect to earn a seat on the creditor s committee. Given the number of owners we already represent we expect to have a strong vote on the committee that will allow us to direct the outcome of the insolvency,’ Ositis said.
To that end, THENOG has retained legal counsel in Hamburg to represent engine-owners as a group and to obtain creditor status for them during the insolvency proceedings. European THENOG board member Peter Bondar added, ‘With hundreds of aircraft being effectively held to ransom by the actions of the Thielert administrator we have had no choice but to band together to create the legal and political pressure on Thielert (and Diamond) to resolve this issue speedily and professionally.’ Mr. House believes that strength in numbers will help achieve the goal of getting the engines and the affected aircraft flying again. ‘THENOG is now a global effort to join all Thielert engine owners in this common cause to take our place at the negotiation table and in the courtroom to protect our interests, our businesses, and, ultimately, our safety,’ he said.Owners and operators of Thielert-powered aircraft are encouraged to visit the THENOG website, www.thenog.org , where they can join the group and provide feedback on their experiences with Thielert and/or Diamond Aircraft, or contact Ken Shapero.

U.S.

(502) 314-3079

News, facts, and comments on the coming revolution for piston-engine aircraft.

News of June 19, 2008

Diamond Air plans a shift to Lycoming for DA42s