Rotax 912iS Fuel Injected Engine

Conrad · Post by **Conrad** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 7:05 pm

I have just arrived back from the Rotax factory in Austria following the release of the 912iS fuel injected engine. The event was attended by approximately 200 participants including representatives from the Press, OEM's, VIP's Rotax Service Centers & Rotax distributors.

There is a new web site for the new 912iS engine www.flightevolution.com which gives most of the information available on the new engine.

The first example of the 912iS engine in the UK has been installed in the Evektor Eurostar and is nearing completion. We intend to take the aircraft to Popham trade fair for you to get a closer look at.

The engine requires a certain level of technical expertise to install & any new or retrofit installations will need to be carried out by a qualified installer.

Due to the aircraft certification process it will be a little while before aircraft are available with the injected engine in the UK. If fuel injection is a must for you please contact the aircraft manufacturer or dealer to see if they are able to offer it as an option.

Pricing is anticipated to be somewhere between the 912S & 914.

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 6:17 am

I know Francis and Ken were at the launch but I have not had time to talk with them in detail about the new engine yet. It will though be a retrograde step if it is decided that any engine HAS TO BE installed into an LAA aircraft by a qualified installer. That goes against the very core of the ethos of the LAA. Many of us would see that as the first nail in the coffin of amateur aircraft building so I hope what Conrad really means is that the inspection has to be carried out by a suitably qualified Inspector. We already have injected ULPower engines, not to mention Lycomings so injected 912 engines should be able to be incorporated into the existing LAA build/inspection system.
Light Aviation will carry a full report of the new engine in the April issue.

Jonathan Holland · Post by **Jonathan Holland** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:31 pm

Brian Hope wrote:Many of us would see that as the first nail in the coffin of amateur aircraft building.....

Isn't that rather an over-reaction!!!

Chris Martyr · Post by **Chris Martyr** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:09 pm

It's a simple question, and Brian is quite correct in requesting clarification.

Does the price of this engine include the installation package, if it can only be installed by Rotax Appointed Persons ?

ian herdis · Post by **ian herdis** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:24 pm

Over reaction, absoloutly not.

Conrads statement seems prety clear, if true Rotax can keep there new engine.

Ian

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:24 pm

It is not up to Rotax, it is up to the LAA. If LAA eng decide that homebuilders can install the engine it will authorise inspectors to inspect and we will get on with what we all do. Some years ago Rotax tried to stop its snowmobile engines being used for aircraft, but it did not work then either.

Rod1

Jonathan Holland · Post by **Jonathan Holland** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:26 pm

ian herdis wrote:, if true Rotax can keep there new engine.

Ian

I'm struggling to understand why one would refuse to install the latest technology in your aircraft just because you can't install it yourself. Sounds a bit like a popular proverb about noses and cutting off etc...

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:02 pm

Rod,

Au contraire.
Rotax can demand their franchisees only sell the new engine if professionally installed, if they so desire

More pragmatically it's good business sense to ensure initial sales are properly fitted in appropriate cowlings/combinations so no odiferous bad publicity from any failing blights their investment & future sales.

Seems paranoia still rules our ranks. The new injected engine will surely meet the requirements of many potential users who want FADEC.

mike hallam. (Contented for simplicity of carbs for my type of flying)

ThePipster · Post by **ThePipster** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 9:02 pm

Conrad wrote:........... any new or retrofit installations will need to be carried out by a qualified installer.

Maybe it will fit the market or the market will choose, that is the beauty of having choices............

Phil

ian herdis · Post by **ian herdis** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:09 am

No need to remove one`s nose just buy an engine from UL Power.

This is home building a right long fought for, we should resist any additional controls or restrictions.

Also it is a requirement that we build the majority of the aircraft, firewall forward is a large chunk of the overall build allowing a ``qualified installer`` to carry out this work could be a problem.

Looks like a great development of a great engine but we are the builders we should install it.

Ian

Chris Martyr · Post by **Chris Martyr** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:46 am

I don't think that Brian was totally correct with his 'nail in the coffin' theory.
The only people who could be sealing their fate here are Rotax themselves , who I have always thought have had a somewhat totalitarian , monopolistic attitude in their consumer policy. Anyone who has ever replaced the rubber carb. diaphragms on their 912 should be able to tell you this , they are £61-00 each from the 'Approved Appointees' yet the 150CD Stromberg uses exactly the same component , available from automotive suppliers for about a couple of quid each . Rip off ? These people are the nigerian investment consultants of the general aviation world .
As for the old proverb about cutting off your nose ? what has to be borne in mind here is that FADEC technology has been around for about thirty years now, and fuel injection even longer, so Rotax aren't exactly re-inventing the wheel here .
Phil is correct in what he says about voting with your feet , but that doesn't help folk who have bought a Rotax engined machine in good faith and then unwittingly become party to the service and spares monopoly.

Like Rod1, I also cannot see the LAA having any problem with the installation of this unit in LAA administered Permit aircraft , and I believe that it undermines LAAs engineering expertise if Rotax attempt to close in on this one, because regardless of who instals this unit, it ain't going nowhere until an approved LAA Inspector signs it off .

Oh the joys of chatforums, another great debate hopefully on the way.
All I've seen so far is a fantastic advert for AeroVee !

Bill McCarthy · Post by **Bill McCarthy** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 2:58 pm

How many "engineers" would Rotax need if the injection option was taken up. I can see it now - "we need say, two days to fit and commission, plus flights to, and accommodation/expenses in Shetland - that will be an extra £3000 for each engineer sir" !

Nick Allen · Post by **Nick Allen** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:41 am

Is this new variant a certified engine, or is Rotax selling both certified and uncertified versions like it does for the standard 912?

Chris Martyr · Post by **Chris Martyr** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:41 am

Does this chap not want to sell any engines ?

Nick's question is very valid indeed , because if it is for installation in a certified aircraft like say a Remos , then Rotax could claim a degree of justification with their 'qualified installer' requirement . However , the deafening silence that followed the initial posting of this topic from Mr Rotax seems to indicate that ALL Rotax 912i installations will need to be carried out by the 'qualified installer' , which to my mind shows a not too thinly disguised contempt - for both the customer and LAA Engineering.

...Don't think our Qualified Installers are going to be that busy somehow..

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:05 am

Certainly Engineering's view is that we have a proven system of installation and inspection and there is no LAA requirement for 'installations to be carried out by a qualified installer.'
I think Rotax may be wary of 'amateurs' installing the engine where there is significantly less oversight than we have here in the UK. I would hope they understand that here we do have a well ordered regime so selling engines to amateur aircraft builders for their own installation should not present them with a problem.

Light Aircraft Association

Rotax 912iS Fuel Injected Engine

Rotax 912iS Fuel Injected Engine

Re: Rotax 912iS Fuel Injected Engine