Rotax going away?????

[gyroplanes]

Did anyone else get the e-mail from EZYCOPTER (http://www.yoshine.com/faq.php) that hinted that Rotax is not going to sell engines for aircraft anymore?
Say it ain't so!

[OzyRuss]

Nothing much surprises me anymore, even had an oil company here in Oz stopping their production of 2 stroke oil specifically made for aero 2 stroke engines....wat next.

[Brian Jackson]

B.S. I wouldn't put too much stock in heresay.

[Charles]

Hello Tom

Rotax will not stop aircraft engine production, instead they will offer 4 cycle
AV engines. This is due to environment laws in many countries. Especially in Europe. Also Canada with the Kyoto agreement.

I guess this is a too lucrative business for them to drop it.

Charles

[scottessex]

I heard rumor they might even be coming out with a high horsepower 2 stroke, larger than the 582.
Plus no joke, they have a 300hp 4 stroke v-6 in the works to replace IO-540's.

[gyromike]

Here's the link for the 300 Rotax (Bombardier):

Bombardier 300HP V-6 (http://www.brp.com/en-CA/Media.Center/Press.Releases/2003/1/2003.07.29.htm)

[jdalexa]

I'd like to see them come out with a 4-stroke engine in the range of a 582. HKS kinda has that market right now, but more is better.

[REDHORSE556CES]

......uhhhh......Y'think they might have a vested interest in Wankels?

1. The single rotor Wankel may be of the same comparative weight but doesn't even come near putting out the HP of a 447.

2. If the Rotax series goes out of production, with there be a dearth of spare parts, overhaul kits, replacment parts?

3. If Rotax scraps their production of the 2-strokes will the 4-strokes that they write about be heavier? Say a DCDI 503 that puts out 50 HP is replaced by a 4-banger of the same power range, will it be heavier?

Although I'm not anywhere near the panic stage, this scenario would not bode well for UL gyros.

From the hangar tales I've heard, Hirth doesn't have the same reliability as a Rotax. The MZ line is an unknown to me. Of course there is the Limbach engine but one would have to create their own redrive for it and the power band for it is at a much higher RPM.

The only lightweight 4-strokes I know of are the HKS and the Aerotwin. Both produce more HP than needed in a lot of UL gyros. And they require more bucks.

The Fates do torment us all! The rulers restrict use of 2-strokes in the name of the environment, the nattering nabobs in Washington are about to slam us with very strict ADIZ's in the name of National Security (someone please tell me what strategic target is within 80 miles of, for example, Throckmorton, Texas?). NERTZ!!!!!!!

[Brian Jackson]

This subject might be worth a call to California Power Systems to put it to rest. Rotax's existing dealerships and distributors should be privy to first-hand knowledge of any upcoming changes. My guess: this is rumor and innuendo. The US E.P.A. will be restricting these engines at some point, but not overnight. If 2-cycle tech were outlawed for environmental reasons, we may as well throw our weed-eaters and chain saws out with the garbage.

Now consider this: The EZcopter site states
"There is a rumor circulating in the industry, that Rotax may in the near future stop supplying engines to the ultralight industry. While this is just a rumor, it is good to see that several other ultralight engine manufacturers are either entering the market or improving their engine products."
They never mentioned the source of this supposed "rumor" (which I have a feeling they just made up). Secondly the site is promoting their own methodology of "the perfect engine", perhaps to justify the design... don't know.

I will refrain from posting this "rumor" on any other site unless there is ACTUAL news directly from the manufacturer. Otherwise there's a whole lotta keystrokes spent in the Chicken Little "sky is falling" mode.

ALWAYS QUESTION THE SOURCE.

[scottessex]

I was just down at Lockwood for some recurrant ROTAX training just 2 weeks ago, Eric Tucker, never mentioned any such rumor. (He works for Rotax)
Besides, Hirths are reliable. :)
The HKS doesn't come near the power of a 582.
Lots of 2 strokes are going to direct injection and other improvements to help keep the EPA nazi's off the backs of the manufacturers.

[ultracruiser41]

Hey Mr. Scott,

I put a 2702 Hirth on my Aerolite103 and I love it! It has been running great and doesn't miss a beat!

Barry (Hirth-Boy) K

[scottessex]

Just make sure the cyl head temps don't go over 525 degrees, What oil are you using?
I am running the Blue Max at 100-1.
Nice engine ain't it.

[WHY]

Hi Tom

I had heard from an acquaintance of mine about a year ago that Bombardier was going to do some re-allignment of priorities and maybe spin off the two stroke aircraft market. The acquaintance was a former engineer for Bombardier and still has contacts in the company. However there may be a bright side to this, if two stroke engine market dwindles maybe this will put the heat on the wankle market to improve and step up to the plate and improve their engine and produce a variety of models to fill the need. I think the rotary is the best design for a internal combustion engine and the weight to hp factor can be made comparable to the 2 stroke or at least better than the conventional piston 4 stroke .

Tony

[Lone Wolf]

So true Tony, so true.
I always thought it a shame that there seems to be very few gyro's going successfully with Mazda engines or derivatives thereof. Steve McGowan and Mr Ortmayer are two outstanding exceptions that I know of. But many attempts, in this part of the world at least, do not seem to enjoy the same success.
The rotary concept should be good and I for one look toward the day when they are much more common on gyro's. In the meantime I'll stick with my Sub.

We met in 1996, you and I and Ron Herron had a brief conversation with Ken Brock at Mentone, standing in the doorway of one of the hangars there.

Thanks, Gordon Gibson NZ.

[automan1223]

They are the heaviest of the heavy. they weigh a lot, put out good power but are not fuel efficient. They turn high rpms are not very desirable for most that want quiet operation.
Rotary is very durable if you treat them right.

Would be a great loss if rotax went out.

2si is no longer making engines for aircraft which was a great loss in itself.

Jonathan

[scottessex]

:) Gee That would leave.....Hirth.......... :)


Rotax isn't going away.

[Dean_Dolph]

....and, as of yet, the unproven and not widely accepted, MZ.

[Brent_Brown]

The MZ works for me. not accepted but proven

[Hognose]

Rotax is not going anywhere. They don't make big money in this market, but they do make money in it. That is the calculation that informs their decision.

cheers

-=K=-