Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

LoPresti Speed Merchants expects to receive an STC for installation of a DeltaHawk diesel engine in the Cirrus SR20 early next year. The modification will include a new LoPresti-designed cowl system, new Hartzell propeller and fuel system adapted to jet-A and biodiesel-type fuels.
DeltaHawk is expecting FAA Part 33 certification of the turbo-supercharged 180-hp DH-180A4 engine by the end of this year or early next year. “We’re working on a number of STCs on a number of aircraft,” said CEO Dennis Webb.
For the SR20 program, said LoPresti business manager RJ Siegel, “Our target is to outperform the SR22 on two thirds of the fuel consumption.” The STC will include new performance parameters in the POH, he added. 
<link ain-and-ainalerts>Critical altitude of the DeltaHawk diesel is 18,000 feet. 
LoPresti Speed Merchants has been developing the new cowl system that will be used on the diesel-powered SR20 for the past five years, according to Siegel. The cowl system lowers total cooling drag by two thirds, he said. Air flows into the cowl through a “shark mouth” underneath the propeller. “Directed flow” design minimizes airflow inertia losses, according to Siegel, and cooling ability increases during a climb, which may eliminate the need for cowl flaps. Two 
<link airshow-convention-news>xenon LoPresti BoomBeam lights are mounted on either side of the top of the cowl, completing the face of the shark with what appear to be its eyes. The engine, cowl system, new Hartzell propeller, fuel system modifications and installation in the SR20 will cost less than $100,000.

LoPresti Unveils SR20 Diesel Cowl Design

LoPresti Speed Merchants expects to receive an STC for installation of a DeltaHawk diesel engine in the Cirrus SR20 early next year.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN