Reducing Rotax operating costs

Operating a four stroke Rotax engine on my personal aircraft for seven years has been an education – for not only myself, but also mechanics who maintain this certified engine.

Some time ago I obtained a DVD entitled ROTAX 912 INTRODUCTION: Basic operation and Maintenance for Pilots and Mechanics. For anyone operating a 900 series Rotax engine whether certified or UL version, this is a very useful video and one that will likely save operators of these engines a considerable amount of money.

I have looked at the video a few times now for a refresher and must admit there is more useful information each time I review same. Perhaps it’s my aging memory capabilities and perhaps it simply the myriad of differences between these Rotax engines and the typical Lycoming and Continental powerplants that AME’s and this scribe are used to.

Although I have taken Rotax owner and heavy maintenance courses at the Vernon, B.C. facility, I found this DVD presentation entertaining and informative and a particularly handy and easy review of the important parameters.

The video is more than an hour in length and features the well-known ultralight and Rotax guru Phil Lockwood - a man whose advice and seminars I have followed and attended for decades – yes, Phil has a trace of grey hair now too in this 2006 presentation.

All of the important Rotax considerations are covered clearly and in considerable detail so viewers fully understand what to do and why. Understanding the reasons for the differences between these and other horizontally opposed engines are very important so owners won’t do things under old accepted practices (and won’t permit their AME’s neither) that are not applicable to these engines.

The Rotax series is more akin to modern automotive engines than the old technology air-cooled engines and the differences are significant. These Rotax engines are very particular when it comes to fuel and oil considerations and these topics are covered in detail.

Not surprisingly, they like automotive fuels and oils, but, the gearbox creates some different needs as well. Important topics such as "burping" the oil system, oil filters, propeller impulse effects, idling speeds and carburetor synchronization are expertly covered so owners can avoid expensive maintenance.

Lockwood’s service centre often receives difficulty calls after aircraft have been inactive over the winter and develop starting problems. The differences in the starting enrichment circuit, spark system and carb condition after unstabilized fuel is stored within for many months can mislead operators on starting issues.

This can often get very expensive when folks make judgment errors in trouble shooting and this can lead to engine damage and high costs. The aforementioned topics is simply the tip of the iceburg and it is my opinion that this $49.95 U.S. video will pay for itself very quickly for anyone operating a 912, 912S or 914 engine.

A handy 22 page booklet provides the highlights of the technical video presentation along with many handy specifications for the engines.

To order a copy, contact the Adventure Productions store at www.ap-store.com/ or for more information email loretta@adventure-productions.com.