PIPER LAUNCHES DIESEL ARCHER
10 Apr 2014

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Piper has announced a new model for the Cherokee PA-28 range - the Centurion diesel powered Archer DX. It is aimed at flight schools in Europe and Asia where avgas is either expensive or not available.
Piper Aircraft and Continental Motors collaborated to obtain a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for Piper Archer aircraft powered by the 155hp Centurion 2.0s diesel engine. Continental Motors took over the former Thielert Centurion engine company last year and renamed it 'Technify'.
The prototype aircraft, test flown to obtain EASA approval, is on display at Piper’s stand at AERO Friedrichshafen, on this week in southern Germany. After the show, the Archer DX will begin a demo tour throughout Europe, including Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
“This milestone development by Piper and Continental represents a continuation of Piper’s strategy to provide multiple fuel solutions for our customers,” said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott. “This is the next step in ensuring that future Piper owners and operators have access to more economical and readily available fuel supplies, especially in Europe where traditional leaded avgas is hard to find and expensive.”
"Working together Continental and Piper Aircraft have taken the next step in proving the viability of Centurion 2.0s diesel powered Piper Archers,” said Technify Motors GmbH Managing Director and President Ken Suda.
Ground and flight tests on the Piper Archer were conducted at Technify’s facility at Altenburg, Germany. Technify’s Centurion 2.0s engine is certified to use both Jet-A and diesel fuel and with the two fuels in any mixture ratio. The company has a long history with Piper aircraft. The first aircraft to fly with the Centurion 1.7 was a Piper Warrior which obtained the certification in 2001.
Caldecott said Piper is working to ensure its customers have more than one engine solution for various flight operating regimes and multiple platforms for various pilot training curriculums. The first deliveries of the Archer DX are expected to begin in Q1 of 2015 at a standard equipped price of $399,495. He also hinted that the Seminole light twin, mostly used for MEP training, might also be fitted with the Centurion diesels at some point.
The Archer DX can cruise at a speed of 114 ktas (211 km/h) at 70% power burning 22 litres/hour (5.8 USG/hr). Garmin G1000 avionics are standard.
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