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Rotax engines - Basic Info / Sport Pilot limitations

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gareywittich2000(at)yahoo
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:27 pm Post subject: Rotax engines - Basic Info / Sport Pilot limitations

Greetings:

I am new to Rotax Engines & Sport Pilot limitations - so bear with me:

1)  Is there TBO information on  Rotax 912 Engines, like there is on Lycoming and Continental engines ???   (Don't find any.)

2) What is the reliability of Rotax Aircraft Engines ??   Weak areas ???

3) Can a Private Pilot or better fly a S-LSA at night or IFR (assume plane is so equipped) with NO current FAA medical ???

4)   If one buys a completed (put together) E-LSA or completed (put together)  Experimental - Amateur Built LSA  can it be modified for night or IFR use AND still maintain it's original Airworthiness Cert  ???

Possibly looking to buy a Sky Arrow 600 (S-LSA) or Sky Arrow 650 or Partner with someone or build one.  Have tools to build (as built part of a Vans RV-8A) before ran out of room in my garage.

Anybody in the West Los Angeles Area or Santa Monica (Calif) owns a S-LSA or building a E-LSA or Experimental - Amateur Built LSA ?? 

Thanks,

Garey Wittich     Santa Monica, CA     (310) 392-1682 



    



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Thom Riddle

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)

Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:49 am Post subject: Re: Rotax engines - Basic Info / Sport Pilot limitations

Garey,



1) 912 series engine TBO is currently 1500 hours, unless they have raised it again since the last time I looked. This and most everything you ever wanted to know about these engines can be found at http://www.rotax-owner.com/



2) In my opinion the 912 engines are the best and most efficient in the business when maintained properly.  No weaknesses if maintained properly. I much prefer the 912 over any other aircraft engine I've owned. 



3) Without a current FAA medical a private pilot is restricted to the same privileges as a Sport Pilot, so the answer is NO, you cannot legally fly at night or IFR as PIC without a current FAA medical, no matter how well equipped the airplane.



4) An amateur-built Experimental can be modified or built for night and IFR flight. An E-LSA (except for those heavy ULs transitioned before Jan 31,2008) must be maintained to factory specs to keep its E-LSA airworthiness certificate. If the factory specs include equipment for night and IFR flight then the airplane is good to go for those flights, but a Sport Pilot or Private Pilot without current FAA medical cannot be PIC. See #4 above.



http://riddletr.googlepages.com/a%26pmechanix

http://riddletr.googlepages.com/sportpilot-cfi

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_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)

Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous

matronics(at)bob.brennan.
Guest

Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:47 am Post subject: Rotax engines - Basic Info / Sport Pilot limitations

Quick correction here Thom, from an owner of an ELSA certificated Kitfox:



Your point #4 is true for an SLSA aircraft, which is a factory manufactured

Light Sport Aircraft. These aircraft are subject to many of the same AD

requirements and type-approved limitations that GA aircraft are, and as you

say must be maintained within factory specs. An ELSA however is similar to

other Experimental aircraft with minor restrictions regarding MTOW, number

of passengers, and a few other things; but no restrictions on IFR or night

operation. Those restrictions, as you correctly stated, are imposed on the

pilot flying under Sport Pilot "privilages", or in this case "restrictions",

as a PPL without a valid medical. One more note - an SLSA can change

category to ELSA but not back - so Garey you can buy one of those factory

produced SLSAs and still enjoy the freedoms of the ELSA category if you

choose.



Bob Brennan - N717GB

ELSA Repairman, inspection rated

1991 UK Model 2 ELSA Kitfox taildragger

Rotax 582 with 3 blade GSC prop

Wrightsville Pa



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