Today I had the pleasure to visit the Rotamax plant where I was toured
   around by the RotaMax president Eric Barger. For a number of hours I
   looked at every part they make (which just happens to be every part of
   their rotary engine) and to ask questions. Frankly, I was way more
   impressed than I thought I would be. So in a series of e-mail, this
   being the first, I will try to describe the Rotamax engine and the
   company too. But for this first e-mail, here are some teasers. No
   order, just as I think of them.

   The Rotamax engine is charge cooled and has needle roller bearings
   that are pressure fed oil.
   The Rotamax engine is both side port and p port. The p port is
   operated by manual butterfly valve. The engine I was told idles very
   smoothly at low RPM just using the side port. I did not see it
   myself but I have no doubt it is true.
   The Rotamax engine has cool side intake.

   The Rotamax engine has no oil sump. Among other things, this is a
   perfect set up for aerobatics. It has a total loss oil system. In a
   nut shell, oil is pulled from a small tank on the firewall. It is
   pumped to the needle bearings which are fully lubricated. Some of he
   oil travels through the eccentric and flows out of ports to add more
   lube to the inside to the bearings. From this point the oil is flung
   onto the tip seals where it is eventually burned. It does not use
   much oil, and it is totally clean. There is no dirty oil ever in this
   engine.

   The Rotamax is very light weight. The two rotor weighs 130 lbs No
   [PSRU] drive, "yet".

   The Rotamax is produced by a small, talented crew, that includes a CAD
   driver (Pro E) a couple of machinists, an engine guy who knows his
   stuff. They have a room full of cnc lathes, mills, grinders that are
   obviously being used a lot.

   The Rotamax rotor housing is aluminum without a steel liner. Instead
   it is coated You can forget trying to find out about the details of
   this operation--It is something they are not going to share. Same for
   side housings. A pair of side housings were pulled after 40hours and
   had absolutely no wear. No step at all. Housings and ends are ground
   in house. NICE... NICE... NICE!


   First photo: Paul do you know this guy ?
   Second photo: The eccentric before and after machining.
   Third photo: Beautiful workmanship on the rotor. Note the seal
   groves. The three holes are for charge cooling.
   That is it for tonight. Jerry

   What timing! I just signed up for the newsletter and you are doing an
   in-depth series on the very engine I'm considering for my CH-640. Great
   job guys! Thanks!
   C. Smith


   Here is some more info on charged cooled rotary engines from SAE
   paper 900035.

   --------------------------------------------------------

   Ops the scale on Fig_01 was a bit too large. Here it is again
   at the correct scale.

   Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

Hi Paul,

Has anybody visited this site on the Web? The factory is across the road
from the old Norton Motorcycle factory, and probably uses the old
Norton  Rotary design (Norton Commander from the '80's)
http://www.uavenginesltd.co.uk/index.php?id=393

Wonder if they import to the U.S. ?  Seems like the perfect solution for
Homebuilders.....

Dick

I don't think they will sell to general aviation.

BTW I uploaded the complete 900035 tech paper to the web site.
You can down load it in 8 meg pdf form. Very good discussion on
the performance and cooling issues of charged cooled rotary
engine like the Rotamax.