Flyer

March 2000

 

"Wilksch diesel meets deadline... just"

"Keeping its promise to fly the new diesel engine before the start of the new millennium, Wilksch Airmotive managed to get a Europa flying with one of its diesel engines in the dying hours of 1999.  Beating flu, time and last minute glitches Wilksch had the engine working in the aircaft at 1pm on 31 December.  It took another two hours to finish the rigging.  At this point the aircraft made some taxi runs, and after the third or fourth the aircraft became airborne for a few seconds.   However poor visibility meant that an immediate landing was called for, so pilot Graham Singleton brought it back down safely.  Graham reports that he had never felt a smoother surge of power from a piston engine in an aeroplane - and it was quiet, too.   There is still work to be done, but the team is now confident the engine will be a success.