peterh337
I also think that the current diesel retrofit options are priced right at the very top of what is perceived anybody anywhere might possibly pay, with the "anybody anywhere" being the busy flying school business model. This doesn't exactly help wide adoption.
So far as the adoption of "new" technology or a "new" product is concerned the price is the real problem. If you look elsewhere the introduction of a new product which is also very often an unknown quantity/quality is usually done at a price point that mitigates the risk to the purchaser. Take Hyundai, their cars were cheap to start with. Sure they may have been a little "nasty" but with time they have established a good reputation and now command a price accordingly.
The retro fit price means no one is going to retrofit plus the issues that have been experienced with even the OEM diesel engines means not many will want to bother with them even as new. There's one DA42 operator here that spec'd their DA42's with the Lycoming engines, (I think they were the first purchaser of the Lycoming variant) they would have had to have rocks in their head to go the diesel way.
achimha
I don't see any real alternative to diesel piston engines outside of the US.
Perhaps you should say "I dont' see any real alternative to diesel engines in Europe"
Because for the majority of the GA world (US, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand) outside of Europe, avgas isn't a problem.
achimha
I read that the companies that built the skyscrapers in Manhattan all went bust. The ones that bought the towers at a bargain price became very rich.
Are you trying to say the companies developing the diesel engine may go broke but the companies that come along and buy them up will make a fortune. If so I have to disagree. The skyscrapers didn't need ongoing development and warranty support like the engines will.
Where I see future potential is in small turbines. It's already proven technology, they are very reliable and light weight. Much of the development is taking place already with turbines used in other areas be it aviation or industry. It's a matter of getting the costs down and the ground idle fuel consumption down to lower levels.