Continental Aerospace Technologies Introduces CD-170R Engine Optimized For Rotary Wing Applications

This post is courtesy of Continental Aerospace Technologies.

Continental, a subsidiary of Continental Aerospace Technologies Holding Limited (HKEX: 232.HK), is proud to announce its newest Jet-A piston engine variant, the CD-170R. Built upon decades of innovation, Continental is proud to expand its CD-100 series to include the new CD-170R model specifically for rotorcraft applications. Continental has submitted the engine certification package to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and anticipates certification later this year.

The CD-170R variant is an evolution of Continental's popular CD-170 engine that was launched in 2020 as the powerplant of choice for advanced fixed-wing single-engine aircraft. The newest engine will have similar characteristics of efficiency, reliability, and ease of management that pilots value. The 170-horsepower, turbocharged engine combines the state-of-the-art Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), resulting in lower fuel consumption and dual redundancy. While fuel consumption is application-based, this four-cylinder model is expected to conservatively burn approximately 7.9 gallons of Jet-A-1 per hour when in cruise. Similar to its predecessors, the CD-170R will debut with a Time Between Replacement (TBR) of 1200 hours and will increase with time in service.

Representing a new era in aviation for Continental, the base of this engine is slightly different from others in the same engine family. As a rotorcraft-specific powerplant, this engine does not utilize a gearbox, giving it an unmatched power-weight ratio and thus making it lighter by 37 pounds. In addition to this unique characteristic, it also benefits from Continental’s global service and support network and 100-hour maintenance intervals.

“We are incredibly proud to expand Continental’s engine line to include a rotorcraft-specific Heavy Fuel Engine. This is a major innovation milestone in Continental’s history that will allow us to serve even more pilots and operators in the general aviation industry,” said Dr. David Dörner, Vice President of Global Research and Development. “Transforming the pilot experience, the CD-170R was engineered with the pilot's needs at the forefront. Controlled via FADEC with rotorcraft-specific software mapping, pilots can now direct their focus toward the critical phases of flight and mission, alleviating the need to manage both the throttle and the collective simultaneously.” 

This fuel-efficient engine joins the renowned line of engines that recently celebrated 10 million flight hours. The engine series continues to be popular among flight schools and individual operators, seeking modern, advanced piston engine technology and unparalleled customer support.

For more information about the CD Heavy Fuel Engine series and Continental’s comprehensive engine portfolio, please visit www.continental.aero.