How do you inject a healthy level of speed, simplicity, and efficiency into an already efficient airframe? Lockwood Aero’s Rotax 916iS firewall-forward package. With a redesigned cowling, a new cooling system, an MT three-blade constant-speed composite propeller, and an optimized center of gravity that allows full utilization of the RV-9’s 100-pound baggage area while remaining within loading limits, the 916iS-powered RV-9 delivers impressive performance. At FL190, it cruises at 190 knots true on 8.5 gph, while at 8500 feet, it achieves 170 knots true. For this video, KITPLANES contributor Larry Anglisano visited Lockwood’s Sebring, Florida, facility to take a closer look at the project, which is expected to be available this spring.
What is the point? It will still use leaded fuel. If it ran on jet or diesel fuel it MIGHT be worth considering. Additional comment; An RV in the lower flight levels moving at 190K will be a PIB to ATC. 210 - 230 would be a more acceptable speed for that altitude. An RV with a turbine or diesel engine would be something to see.
Rotax engines run on unleaded 91 octane auto gas. Yes, they will run on avgas, but that requires 25 hour oil changes. I fill up gas cans at the local gas station for my Rotax powered gyro plane.
I wonder how they can say what it’s cruise and altitude performance can be in one breath and, in another, indicate that it’s not flying yet. Or is it just that the kit won’t be avaliable until spring?
Rotax engines all run on 91 octane unleaded auto gas. In fact, Rotax recommends using only unleaded mogas and not 100LL. If you do fly on 100LL, you have to shorten the oil change intervals. With the added size and weight of a turbo diesel engine, the plane would be very nose heavy unless they moved it back closer to the original Lycoming engine location. One advantage of a diesel would be that fueling up on cross country trips would be easier since most larger airports sell Jet A, but not 91 mogas. Since mogas typically has a higher vapor pressure than Avgas, it would be interesting to see if the low wing plane would have any vapor lock issues in the flight levels during the summer.
Well, they have the prototype flying, which is where they did the spin testing and developed the performance numbers. I suspect the kit availability is the current issue.
Well 250kts would be even better 190kts TAS on such a small engine is quite a feat and whom should they block below 200? Maybe a couple of large piston twins but given the total numbers and the size of US airspace I can‘t imagine that many 421 or Baron drivers will have to be slowed down for the Rotax Vans. Turboprops and Jets will want to fly higher except for very short trips.
I made a lot of cross country flights in my RV-6A. I never had an issue getting 100LL mainly because I did not flight into airports that would not have 100LL. I would not install that setup. Extensive electronics to control it. Turbocharged. Auto engine running at 5500 RPM thus needing a prop speed reduction unit.
190kts TAS on such a small engine is quite a feat and whom should they block below 200? Maybe a couple of large piston twins but given the total numbers and the size of US airspace I can‘t imagine that many 421 or Baron drivers will have to be slowed down for the Rotax Vans. Turboprops and Jets will want to fly higher except for very short trips.