WAM Diesels

[Oscar Duece]

Any news on these engines lately. I though they anounced full scale production over a year ago, but haven't seen anything since.:confused:

[BlueRobin]

heh heh, best talk to Mark Wilskch on that one!

[Oscar Duece]

Ok must I be that clear.

Looked at the web site, hardly ever updated. As this is just curious interest, do I phone the factory, or enquire in pprune land (fountain of most knowledge).

Having seen a fair amopunt about the Theirhert (spelling) in the press lately (stc's for piper and cessna's, etc) I was wondering what was happening at WAM.

Last I knew the 120 was going in RV9's, Euoropa's and a thorp. The 160 was also selling (but don't know what for ?)

So is it in production / customer deliveries. What other applications is it being used for (other that what seems to be solely pfa vla's).

Anyone know or do I have to wait until the Pfa rally in June .:rolleyes:

[BlueRobin]

I looked at a RV-9, which will ultimately receive the WAM-160. Although promises of engine delivery were made, I got the Mark Wilksch is the only person who knows what is going on for sure.

MikeSamuel - you still helping out Steve on the -9?

[gasax]

I could be mean and say that Wilskch is progressing somewhat faster than a certain Mr Zoche, but that doesn't mean much.

It would appear there must either be technical or financial issues to explain the rate of progress. Maybe some of those delivery position holders can add to the detail.

But it seems strange that with PFAers gagging for the product that it still seeems to be so far from production.

[Spiney Norman]

I suspect it's the usual problem with anything revolutionary in the U.K.....very little money behind the project, so it all takes a long time. Very interesting though. The Wilksch project seems to be the only one aimed at the 0-200/0-235 market and you'd think there would be huge potential for the retrofit market. I hope he succeeds.

Spiney

[100LL]

I dont know much about the Wilksh engine but the Thielert engine is a corker, been on the course in Germany at the factory and flown behind the TAE 125 Centurion and its superb.

[Oscar Duece]

Yes the thielert mercedes engine sounds good, but it is quoted in the press at 30 K euro for the engine only or 40 K euro for say a PA28 retrofit kit.

Quite a bit of money for a car engine with a new crank, reduction gear and Lotus derived Fadec unit.

Although it seems to be leading the way in the 0320 replacement sector, with nothing else in production as yet. Hence my wonder about the direct drive Wam units, which I thought looked good, as well as the price.

Lets just hope they can also acheive the 3000 hrs tbo they are aiming for and we can get a few years use out of them before our glorious labour government creates a Ga only JetA1 tax. We all know that will happen at some point.

[MikeSamuel]

Yes Neil, I'm still working on the 9 with Steve...Haven't been able to make it to the workshop for a bit, but will get over there this week...
...I haven't heard anything new about the engine lately.

[A and C]

I suspect that the WAM diesel is being developed on a very tight budget.

I was in the position to offer an airframe to put the motor into and to do the work to get an STC from the CAA however all that WAM wanted to do was sell us an engine not to lend an engine untill the engine/airframe combination was ready for the market despite the fact that we could see the market for 1500 units.

I wish WAM the best of luck and think that the engine could do very well as it is a well engineered product but I suspect that it will fall by the wayside due to lack of finance.

However I would be very pleased to be proven totaly wrong about this.

[QDMQDMQDM]

before our glorious labour government creates a Ga only JetA1 tax

It would bring in peanuts and be a pain in the backside to administer -- how do you charge two prices for fuel from the same nozzle. Won't happen.

QDM

[WorkingHard]

QDM - to say it won't happen assumes logic. PLEASE we are talking about politics here and logic (or our money) is the last thing they think about. If they want to deter private flying as seems the case then they will do it! As somenone said on another thread did you know there is a Customs and Excise dept dedicated to investigating GA activities?