BRP-Rotax has announced that it plans to end production of the two-stroke Rotax 582 UL aircraft engine by end of 2021. According to the company, the decision was made due to the “nearly full transition” of the light and ultralight aircraft markets to four-stroke engines. Rotax says the 582 UL will remain available for as long as existing stock lasts.
Good riddance. Everyone single pilot I know that has flown ultralights with 2 stroke engines has had an engine failure.
Worthy of kudos is their commitment to continue parts support for a very reasonable period. Too many times we encounter experiences like my attempt to get a replacement cord for my 2-year old multi-hundred dollar noise canceling headphones and being told they no longer support that model.
You can bet pricing of parts will not remain “steady” over the next ten years. I’d be buying wear-and-tear items and gaskets etc right now at today’s prices if I intended to keep flying a 582.
300 hour TBO? Is that a typo?
Nope. But few ultralights hit that number in their lives.