The project defined the optimal turbocharged diesel engine and the integration studies to make use of the engine for the ideal helicopter platform. The positive results of the project demonstrated a substantial potential for pollutant emission and fuel consumption reduction by powering light single engine category helicopter with this advanced diesel engine instead of a conventional small turboshaft engine. The study consisted of three major phases:

1. Optimal Diesel Engine Specification,
2. Engine/Rotorcraft Integration Study,
3. Environmental Impact Analysis.

The technical challenge was to obtain the power-to-weight ratio taking into account helicopter requirements such as reliability and TBO. An optimal diesel engine was chosen by selection procedure, where ratings criteria will use performance, weight, size, fuel economy, emissions, multi-fuel capability, reliability, noise, technology, costs, integration, cooling, and drag. Engine configuration was selected from the several types of engines which were modelled and compared. Finally, the very small engine with the defined engine sub-systems were designed. To solve the design problems, the applicant used his experience, workforce and knowledge in applying held designing tools to design aircraft and automotive piston engines: CFD software (Fluent, AVL FIRE), CAD software (Catia v5, Patran Package), FEM software (ABAQUS, MD Nastran), object oriented modelling tools (AVL BOOST, Dymola Modelica, MD Adams).

The project predicted many obstacles like vibration, noise, transmission chain coupling and torque oscillations, engine control and response. To solve these problems, the innovative ideas were proposed to develop and analyse the high dimensional dynamics of the multi-body mechanical system and the original diesel engine adaptive control system.