(copied from the website)

http://www.dieselair.com/

News of 07/30/2003

When will you be able to own and fly in an STC'd diesel 172, 182 or
Cherokee?

As of August 1st, it seems that by end of year at latest, the following
STC's will be OK'd by FAA and available as standard conversions at fixed
price for an initially airworthy aircraft:

Cessna 172 (wait for exact models, years) with Thielert Engine 135HP,
possibly with a constant speed propeller. Such a propeller would anyway be
recommended for best performance at take off and initial climb, in which
case the 172 demonstrator flying in Europe shows performance as good or
better than a 172 with O-320 160HP gasoline engine.

Piper Cherokee (wait for exact models, years) with Thielert Engine 135HP,
possibly with a constant speed propeller.

Cessna 182P and later models with SMA Engine and 3-blade constant speed
propeller.

(end of web info)

It's my understanding that Thielert is/will be approved for diesel fuel,
while SMA is/will only be approved for Jet-A....for now.

Wonder if FADEC will be standard equipment on a (new diesel) firewall
forward order?

--
Montblack

("Donald Royer" wrote)
PZL the polish company that had been building the Franklin engines has
been
bought out by Pratt and Whitney. PZL's main business is making turbines
and
superchargers and apparently that is what Pratt and Whitney was interested
in. They have shut down the production of the Franklin engines and that
part
of the business is up for sale. There is a rumor that an outfit in Texas
will probably buy it and start production again, but right now there are
no
new engines being built. snip