A Vero Beach flight school has ordered five DeltaHawk diesel-powered Piper Seminole DX aircraft in the first domestic order for the type. Skyborne Airline Academy and Piper announced the order on Tuesday. The aircraft was announced at AirVenture 2025 and Piper says there is developing interest in the aircraft, which touts some major efficiency gains. According to Piper, the 180-horsepower DHK4A180 engines, certified and manufactured by DeltaHawk, of Racine, Wisconsin, deliver a “35% reduction in fuel burn, a 32% increase in single-engine climb rate, and a 70% higher single-engine absolute ceiling.”
Skyborne specializes in training students for the right seat of airliners and also has locations at Gloucestershire and Bournemouth Airports in the U.K. The school takes a unique approach to flight training by rigorously screening candidates to improve their chances of success with their future employers. “As we continue to grow in the US, these aircraft will play a critical role in ensuring we consistently meet the expected high standards of flight training by our students,” said Skyborne CEO Lee Woodward. “Our partnership with a trusted and reliable aircraft manufacturer ensures our students feel confident and safe during flight.”
Yay for competition! Glad to see another player in the powerplant space.
I don’t think that’s a pic of the diesel powered plane.
You might be right. It’s what popped up when I searched but it seems to not be the actual airplane. I fixed it. Thanks for the catch.
I’m so pleased to have found AvBrief.com and Russ Niles again. I unsubscribed to AvWeb Flash because it was no longer interesting or relevant to the aviation I’m interested in. Russ, on the other hand, gives me the “fix” I need. Thank you, Russ!
Thanks, John. Please tell your friends. We need more subscribers.