RED A03

A03
A03
	RED A03 V-12 engine
Type	Aircraft diesel engine
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	RED Aircraft GmbH
First run	2009

The RED A03 is a V12 four-stroke aircraft diesel engine designed and built by RED Aircraft GmbH of Adenau, Germany.

Development

In 2012, its unit cost was US$170,000. The engine received type approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in December 2014 for use in any CS-23 aircraft in both normal and utility categories. It powered the Yakovlev Yak-152 trainer on its 29 September 2016 first flight. The RED A03 is presented by the ILA Berlin Air Show in 2020 as an application in the aerobatic sector and for defence and security.

The engine is proposed for the Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10, a British hybrid airship design, powered by four engines and can be operated with two. In November 2021, an Air Tractor AT-301 made a first flight retrofitted with a RED A03 engine. The same month, a prototype Otto Celera 500L powered by a RED A03 engine was flown using Sustainable Aviation Fuel. On 18 November 2022, Ampaire flew its Eco-Caravan maiden flight: the hybrid electric aircraft uses a RED A03 engine to reduce fuel consumption by 70% on shorter trips to 50% on longer ones. Useful load decreased by 800 lb (360 kg), while range improved from 1,070 nmi (1,980 km) to 1,100 nmi (2,000 km); supplemental type certificate (STC) is targeted for 2024.

As of March 2023, there were reliable reports of flight testing on a DHC-2 Beaver.^{[better source needed]}

Design

It has twin double overhead camshafts. A marine version was planned for 522 kW/700 hp at 3,900 rpm. The cylinder banks' angle is 80 degrees. The RED A03-200 series is a derivative developed for very high-altitude operation up to 15 km (49,000 ft), with a maximum rating of 460 hp (340 kW) at FL250.

Certifications

The engine has EASA certification from 2014, FAA certification from 2016 and Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (FATA) from 2021

Applications

Agricultural aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301 (STC planned)
Fletcher FU-24

Airship

Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10 (proposed)

Utility aircraft

Ampaire Eco-Caravan (STC targeted for 2024).
De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver (STC planned)
Junkers Ju 52NG
In-development twin-engine utility aircraft for 9-14 passengers or cargo from Russian Pro-Avia

Business aircraft

Otto Celera 500L (experimental)

Trainer aircraft

Yakovlev Yak-18
Yakovlev Yak-52 and Yakovlev Yak-152 trainers

UAV

Russian unmanned combat aerial vehicle Sokol Altius prototype. Blocked by the sanctions on the Russian Federation .

Specifications

Data from EASA Type-Certificate Data Sheet

General characteristics

Type: 80° V-12 four-stroke compression-ignition piston engine
Bore: 86 mm (3.39 in)
Stroke: 88 mm (3.46 in)
Displacement: 374.3 cu in (6,134 cc)
Length: 1,114 mm (44 in)
Width: 850 mm (33 in)
Height: 750 mm (30 in)
Dry weight: 363 kg (800 lb) (RED A03-003/005), 357 kg (787 lb)(RED A03-102) dry

Components

Valvetrain: Gear-driven DOHC
Turbocharger: 2 intercooled
Fuel system: Common rail
Fuel type: jet-fuel, kerosene-type/diesel, SAF^{[clarification needed]} (certification in progress ^[when?])
Oil system: Dry-sump, dual-circuit
Cooling system: Liquid, dual circuit
Reduction gear: 1:1.88
single lever FADEC/EECS

Performance

Power output: A03-003: 368 kW (493 hp) take-off at 2,127 propeller rpm; 338 kW (453 hp) maximum continuous at 1,995 propeller rpm, A03-005: 405 kW (543 hp)
Specific fuel consumption: 210 g/kWh (0.35 lb/(hp⋅h)) at 300 kW (400 hp), 1,862 propeller rpm, sea level

RED A05 300hp V6

The RED A05 is a 2017 preliminary design of a V6 engine with 3,550 cc (217 cu in) displacement, outputting 300 hp (220 kW) at takeoff at 2127 propeller RPM and 280 hp (210 kW) continuously at 1995 propeller RPM, with a 210 g/kWh (0.35 lb/(hp⋅h)) best brake specific fuel consumption.

References

1 2 3 "E.150 – Type-Certificate Data Sheet – RED A03 series engines". European Union Aviation Safety Agency. 30 June 2022.
↑ Niles, Russ (July 29, 2012). "500 Horsepower V-12 Turbo Diesel Engine From Germany". AV web.
↑ Perry, Dominic (5 Oct 2016). "First flight for Yak-152 trainer". Flight Global.
↑ "ILA Berlin 2020 goes digital with RED Aircraft". ILA Berlin Air Show. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
1 2 3 4 "Fleet of RED A03 powered aircraft". RED Aircraft. 14 April 2023.
↑ "Maiden Flight of Retrofit Air Tractor 301 with RED A03 Piston Engine" (Press release). AviationPros. 23 November 2021.
↑ "RED A03 Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tests For Celera 500L by Otto Aviation" (Press release). ASDNews. 16 December 2021.
1 2 "ECO-Caravan maiden flight" (Press release). RED Aircraft. Nov 18, 2022.
↑ "Primeiro voo bem sucedido do DHC-2 Beaver com motor V12 diesel". cavok.com.br (in Portuguese). 3 March 2023.
↑ "Sealand Aviation's RED Beaver prototype 'up and running', progressing towards certification in Canada". 18 July 2023.
↑ "DHC-2 BEAVER – RED Aircraft". 3 March 2023.
↑ Henderson, Keith (March 31, 2011). "Lightweight 375 kW (500 hp) V12 Marine Diesel". Maritime propulsion. Maritime Activity Reports. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
↑ "The RED A03 Engine". RED Aircraft.
↑ "A03-20x Series High Altitude". RED Aircraft. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2025-04-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
↑ "RED Aircraft achieves Russian certification for RED A03 engine". Asian Aviation. Jul 27, 2021.
↑ "Airlander Hybrid Air Vehicles". RED Aircraft. 19 April 2021.
↑ Kate Sarsfield (3 July 2020). "Pro-Avia selects Red A03 diesel engine to power in-development utility-twin". Flightglobal.
↑ "Celera 500L Performance". Otto Aviation.
↑ "yak 18". Flyer. 4 August 2021.
↑ Kyle Mizokami (Aug 22, 2019). "Russia's New 'Altair' Spy Drone Takes to the Skies". Popular Mechanics.
↑ Staff Writer (May 22, 2022). "Sokol Altius Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)". Military Factory.
↑ Alex Torch (Aug 29, 2025). "A military UAV engine, a millionaire and sanctions – all of them are in the same court case". SanctionsLists.
1 2 3 "RED A03 - V12 - 6100cc / 374 cu in" (PDF). RED aircraft. Jul 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
↑ "RED A05 - V6 - 3550cc / 216 cu in" (PDF). RED aircraft. Jul 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-08-09.

External links

Official website

[tcds-1] 1 2 3 "E.150 – Type-Certificate Data Sheet – RED A03 series engines". European Union Aviation Safety Agency. 30 June 2022.

[2] Niles, Russ (July 29, 2012). "500 Horsepower V-12 Turbo Diesel Engine From Germany". AV web.

[3] Perry, Dominic (5 Oct 2016). "First flight for Yak-152 trainer". Flight Global.

[4] "ILA Berlin 2020 goes digital with RED Aircraft". ILA Berlin Air Show. Retrieved 2025-04-30.

[applications-5] 1 2 3 4 "Fleet of RED A03 powered aircraft". RED Aircraft. 14 April 2023.

[6] "Maiden Flight of Retrofit Air Tractor 301 with RED A03 Piston Engine" (Press release). AviationPros. 23 November 2021.

[7] "RED A03 Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tests For Celera 500L by Otto Aviation" (Press release). ASDNews. 16 December 2021.

[RED18nov2022-8] 1 2 "ECO-Caravan maiden flight" (Press release). RED Aircraft. Nov 18, 2022.

[9] "Primeiro voo bem sucedido do DHC-2 Beaver com motor V12 diesel". cavok.com.br (in Portuguese). 3 March 2023.

[10] "Sealand Aviation's RED Beaver prototype 'up and running', progressing towards certification in Canada". 18 July 2023.

[11] "DHC-2 BEAVER – RED Aircraft". 3 March 2023.

[maritimepropulsion-12] Henderson, Keith (March 31, 2011). "Lightweight 375 kW (500 hp) V12 Marine Diesel". Maritime propulsion. Maritime Activity Reports. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.

[13] "The RED A03 Engine". RED Aircraft.

[14] "A03-20x Series High Altitude". RED Aircraft. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2025-04-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[15] "RED Aircraft achieves Russian certification for RED A03 engine". Asian Aviation. Jul 27, 2021.

[Airlander-16] "Airlander Hybrid Air Vehicles". RED Aircraft. 19 April 2021.

[17] Kate Sarsfield (3 July 2020). "Pro-Avia selects Red A03 diesel engine to power in-development utility-twin". Flightglobal.

[18] "Celera 500L Performance". Otto Aviation.

[19] "yak 18". Flyer. 4 August 2021.

[20] Kyle Mizokami (Aug 22, 2019). "Russia's New 'Altair' Spy Drone Takes to the Skies". Popular Mechanics.

[21] Staff Writer (May 22, 2022). "Sokol Altius Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)". Military Factory.

[22] Alex Torch (Aug 29, 2025). "A military UAV engine, a millionaire and sanctions – all of them are in the same court case". SanctionsLists.

[A03pdf-23] 1 2 3 "RED A03 - V12 - 6100cc / 374 cu in" (PDF). RED aircraft. Jul 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-08-09.

[24] "RED A05 - V6 - 3550cc / 216 cu in" (PDF). RED aircraft. Jul 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-08-09.