Accumulated hours logged on Centurion 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0s - proven reliable
Lichtenstein – Since production began eight years ago, Centurion diesel aircraft engines have set numerous performance records. Now, they have once again achieved a new engine record, with centurion aircraft engines having logged over 2.5 million flight hours by the close of Q3 2010. As the world’s by far most-flown diesel engines, they have proven their reliability and fuel efficiency in general aviation and UAV applications.
German-based Centurion Aircraft Engines AG & Co. KG is the market-leading manufacturer of diesel engines for general aviation and reported at the end of Q3 2010 that Centurion engines had now passed the milestone of over 2.5 million flight hours. "Approximately 1.5 million flight hours were logged by the Centurion 1.7. Its market launch in 2002 was the catalyst for developing alternative propulsion systems for small aircraft and UAVs. The successor models Centurion 2.0 and Centurion 2.0s now being in series production have logged 1 million flight hours to date. Well over 3,000 Centurion engines have been delivered thus far," affirmed Centurion CEO Jasper M. Wolffson.
Centurion engines are known for their tremendous fuel efficiency and reliability. In contrast to the competition, they were developed to be installable under existing cowlings without affecting weight. This allows them to be used on a wide range of manned and unmanned aircraft. The technical simplicity of replacing Centurion 1.7’s with Centurion 2.0’s on any aircraft is an added advantage.
Both engine models afford above-average reliability. According to FAA data, in general aviation the in-flight shut down rate is one in every 10,000 hours. For Centurion engines the failure rate is more than 50 percent lower. The Centurion 2.0 is a systematically improved version of the 1.7 offering a number of technological advancements, as the entire field experience gained with its predecessor was used in its development. The engine’s lifetime of 1,500 hours is thus 50 percent longer than that of the 1.7, and the lifetime of certain components, such as clutch and gearbox, has also been extended further.
"Centurion engines are future-proof in terms of both economical as environmental aspects, being able to use standard aviation fuels like Jet-A instead of having to rely on aviation gasoline (avgas)," explained Jasper M. Wolffson. In addition to non-dependence on avgas, the many "green" benefits of Centurion engines include zero risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, zero lead emissions, and substantially lower nitrogen and hydrocarbon emissions than with avgas engines. Plus, Centurion engines are more fuel efficient across the board, as well as meeting strict noise ordinance requirements."
