Racine, WI—Bushliner Aircraft, a manufacturer of backcountry general aviation aircraft, has entered a collaborative relationship with DeltaHawk Engines, builders of the revolutionary FAA-certified DHK jet-fueled piston engines to begin integration of a DeltaHawk’s 350 hp DHK6A3550 Jet-Fuel Powered Diesel engine into the Bushliner 1850.
A Letter of Intent (LOI) between the two companies has been signed and sharing of engineering data and technical resources is now underway. The DHK6A350 engine is a six-cylinder variant of DeltaHawk’s FAA-certified, four-cylinder engine and utilizes the same proprietary technology and most of the components as the FAA-certified engine. The 350 hp version is currently in development with an expected completion in 2026, with FAA certification in 2027.
The Bushliner 1850 will serve as the launch airframe for DeltaHawk’s new DHK6A350 six-cylinder engine. Bushliner will incorporate the engine package on option lists for the experimental and special mission aircraft immediately. Bushliner intends to continually work towards Part 23 certification of the 1850.
Kyle Fosso, Co-Founder and President of Bushliner Aircraft, remarked: “The DeltaHawk six-cylinder engine is the answer to the growing demands of our customers. I’m particularly excited about its ability to run on multiple fuel types, including #2 diesel. This flexibility enables operators to refuel in remote locations or even on their own farms, ranches, or remote fuel locations, similar to how smaller aircraft utilize mogas today. For our military and international customers, this capability isn’t just a preference—it’s a requirement.”
Christopher Ruud, Chief Executive Officer of DeltaHawk added, “We are excited about our formal collaboration with Bushliner, and their choice to serve as the launch customer of our 350 hp DHK6A350 engine. While we believe the engine is a great fit for the Bushliner 1850 aircraft in general, the fact that this aircraft serves global markets where Avgas is either unavailable or very expensive offers even greater value.”
Following FAA certification of the DHK180 last year, flights of the new engine in factory aircraft have been ongoing at DeltaHawk’s manufacturing and flight test facility in Racine, Wisconsin, along with work by the company’s quality and operations teams in preparation for production of integrated firewall forward engine packages. In addition, DeltaHawk has previously announced 200 and 235 hp DHK engines.
This collaboration with DeltaHawk brings together everything Bushliner has been working toward—modern power, real-world utility, and the kind of aircraft operators have been asking for. The DHK6A350 engine is a smart match for the 1850, especially for those flying in environments where performance, fuel flexibility, and payload matter most. We’re proud of the progress made toward building an aircraft that meets those real-world demands while staying true to our mission of delivering practical, high performance solutions. Whether it’s backcountry, fleet, or special mission flying, the 1850 is ready to serve—and we’re excited to move forward with a partner who shares that vision.
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