Compression Ignition (Diesel & Jet A)

Continental

Thanks to their complex and high-pressure nature, diesel (Jet A) burning piston engines are premium devices full of expensive parts, and their penetration into the amateur-built world is quite limited no matter the airframe manufacturer. (The CD-155 has flown in a few Glasair Aviation Sportsman aircraft.) Some sophisticated, powerful and very fuel-efficient Jet A reciprocating engines have been developed, but their newness and high cost mean they’ve barely penetrated the military drone market to date.

Meanwhile, Continental has a surprisingly well-populated line of certified diesels as they’ve bought diesel programs started by Thielert, Austro and other European outfits. At least technically these engines are suited to larger homebuilt aircraft (they’ve been used on Cessna 182s, for example), but their economics make them viable only after flying many hours, not the typical sport plane operating profile.