Does anyone have experience with rotary powered light
sport aircraft?
  I know Austro makes the AE50R which from what I
understand is in the
  under 80 lb weight range with a "no loss lubrication
system" and is
  currently working on an 80 horsepower rotary to
"replace" a Rotax 912
  80hp. Anyone know anything about these? Are there
other less
  expensive options I haven't found yet?

  Jenn Kimball

  Nothing certified other than the Austro Engine. Over
500 of the 50
  HP versions have been sold to  Alexander
Schleicher   motor gliders
  .

  LSA requires certification. There may be an LSA
experimental
  category. I am not really all that up on the rules.


  Lots of Mazda one rotors however.

  What did you hear about 80 horsepower rotary to
"replace" a Rotax
  912?

  Paul Lamar

  Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) fall under a specific
definition of
  performance and capability set forth by the
FAA.  They are not
  "certified" by definition.  There are three
types of LSA.  LSA,
  factory built, S-LSA, Amateur built from a kit
supplied by the
  manufacturer of the same factory built LSA model, and
EAB-LSA.

  Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) are certified by their
manufacturers, not
  the FAA, to be in compliance with ASTM
standards.  There is no FAA
  certification for any of their equipment including
engines.  They are
  granted an air worthiness certificate by the
manufacturer. Like any
  other factory built aircraft they are not subject to
Phase 1/2 fight
  testing .  They may not be legally modified
without written
  permission from the manufacturer.  The condition
inspection may be
  done by anyone who has completed a 40 hour course to
become
  certified as an LSA inspector, or by an A&P
Mechanic.  Factory built
  LSA my be rented and used for flight training.

  Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) are designed to
be in compliance
  with the Light Sport Aircraft rules set forth by the
FAA. They are
  amateur built to be fully in compliance with the
factory built S-LSA
  version of the same aircraft.  They are granted
an air worthiness
  certificate by the FAA.  S-LSA are subject to
usual Phase 1/2 flight
  testing but only 20 hours of Phase 1 time.
S-LSA must comply with
  the factory specifications and may not be legally
modified without
  written permission from the manufacturer. Condition
inspections may
  be done by the builder, an LSA inspector, or an
A&P Mechanic. S-LSA
  aircraft my not be used commercially or rented for
any purpose.

  There is still the EAB class of airplanes.  The
builder is
  responsible for certifying that the airplane is in
compliance with
  the LSA requirements set forth by the FAA.  They
are subject to
  usual Phase 1/2 flight testing.  They can be
flown by anyone holding
  Sport Pilot privileges, just like any other
LSA.  Being Experimental
  Amateur Built any modifications desired may be made,
even if those
  changes would cause the airplane to no longer be in
compliance with
  the LSA requirements set forth by the FAA.  Once
the airplane is no
  longer in compliance with the LSA requirements the
pilot must then
  hold a Private Pilot or Recreational Pilot
certification to fly it.
  Once modified to be outside of the LSA definition it
my NEVER be
  returned to LSA status even if the modifications are
removed.  It
  will forever be EAB and cannot be flown by a person
holding only
  Sport Pilot privileges.  EAB aircraft my not be
used commercially or
  rented for any purpose.

  You can get flight training in your own EAB-LSA, or
EAB, if you can
  get past the insurance hurdles and you can find a CFI
willing to
  train you in your own aircraft.  You cannot use
your own EAB-LSA or
  EAB aircraft to give flight training for
compensation.

  If an LSA manufacturer chose to install a rotary
engine, even with
  full FADEC controls, the FAA would have nothing to
say about that.
  The manufacturer has to answer to the ASTM standard
and certify that
  the aircraft design and fabrication are in compliance
with the ASTM
  standard.

  Sorry for the long spew. ;-)

  Mark LaPierre


  Paul,

  in this regard……I am currently taking sport pilot
flight lessons for
  a gyrocopter….at the same time I am “repairing”
a circa ‘80s Hollmann
  gyro that came with no engine…..I have a 13b, 86-88
that is almost
  done to put on it. I don’t have a PSRU for the
engine yet.

  if I pass my sport pilot exams for gyroplane, and
finish the “repair”
  of the gyro, can I test fly it myself and get it
certified as
  “airworthy” and subsequently get an N number?

  is this the way to go to get my own EAB/E-LSA up and
flying?

  Thx, Byron Head

  I suspect so but I Know very little about LSA
anything.

  Paul Lamar


I can put everyone's curiosity to rest. The sweet little
Austro AE50
rotary must be made of gold. Estimate from the Schleicher
dealer is $25k
plus. Last one he bought was 5 years ago at that price to
replace one in
a big two seat Schleicher motor glider.

The search continues.....

Bill Rayfield


25k - that's raw insanity.
What is one's best bet for a single rotor set-up, then, is
Atkins' product line for the one rotor mazda sufficient then,
and, also, is Revolution Rotary legit? I can't find much
information on them, apart from information BY them.
They have a site advertising a multitude of engines for
ultralight/e-lsa aircraft. This confuses me--they have so
many engines listed and I haven't seen any around.

Jenn Kimball

The one rotors with cast iron end housings are too heavy.

Richard Sohn has the best set up so far. It is not that hard to
build your own Jenn with Racing Beat end housing.

You just need to find some one with a late to cut down a
stock 13 B e-shaft. Buy a junk engine and take it apart to
see how easy it is. Some times you can find an engine for free.

Paul Lamar


The Rotary Engine free News Letter. Powered by Linux. If you want off
the list PLEASE let me know and I will remove  you.  ACRE NL web
site. http://www.rotaryeng.net You Tube http://tinyurl.com/beqqxas
Copyright 1998-2016 All world wide rights reserved.