Rotax

Rotax is the brand name for a range of internal combustion engines developed and manufactured by the Austrian company BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG (until 2008 BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG), in turn owned by the Canadian Bombardier Recreational Products.

Rotax four-stroke and advanced two-stroke engines are used in a wide variety of small land, sea and airborne vehicles. Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) use them in their own range of such vehicles. In the light aircraft class, in 1998 Rotax outsold all other engine manufacturers combined.

History

The company was founded in 1920 in Dresden, Germany as ROTAX-WERK AG. In 1930, it was taken over by Fichtel & Sachs and transferred its operations to Schweinfurt, Germany. Operations were moved to Wels, Austria in 1943 and finally to Gunskirchen, Austria in 1947. In 1959, the majority of Rotax shares were taken over by the Vienna-based Lohner-Werke, a manufacturer of car and railway wagon bodies.

In 1970, Lohner-Rotax was bought by the Canadian Bombardier Inc. The former Bombardier branch, Bombardier Recreational Products, now an independent company, uses Rotax engines in its ground vehicles, personal water craft, and snowmobiles.

Rotax 582

The Rotax 582 is a 48 kW (64 hp) two-stroke, two-cylinder, rotary intake valve, oil-in-fuel or oil injection pump, liquid-cooled, gear reduction-drive aircraft engine manufactured by BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG. It is for use in non-certified aircraft operating in day visual flight rules.

Development

The Rotax 582 is based upon the earlier Rotax 532 engine design and was designed for ultralight aircraft. The 582 increased the bore from the 532 engine's 72 to 76 mm (2.8 to 3.0 in) and increased the stroke from 61 to 64 mm (2.4 to 2.5 in). This increased the displacement from 521.2 cc (31.81 cu in) to 580.7 cc (35.44 cu in), an increase of 11%. The increased displacement had the effect of flattening out the 532's torque curve and allowed the 582 to produce useful power over a wider rpm range. Reliability over the 532 was also improved.

The 582 features liquid-cooled cylinder heads and cylinders with a Rotary Intake Valve. Cooling is via an externally mounted radiator. Lubrication is either by use of pre-mixed fuel and oil or oil injection from an externally mounted oil tank. The 582 has dual independent breakerless, magneto capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) systems and is equipped with two piston-type carburetors. It uses a manifold-driven pneumatic fuel pump to provide fuel pressure. An optional High Altitude Compensation kit is available.

Rotax 535

The Rotax 535 is an Austrian aircraft engine, that was designed and produced by Rotax of Gunskirchen for use in motor gliders.

The first application for type certification to JAR 22, Appendix H, was made on 29 June 1982 and the first certification was granted on 27 April 1983. It is out of production and is no longer offered for sale by Rotax.

Design and development

The Rotax 535 is a twin cylinder two-stroke, in-line, 521.2 cc (31.8 cu in) displacement, liquid-cooled, gasoline engine design, with a 3:1 belt reduction drive. It employs dual Bosch or Ducati magnetic high-voltage condenser ignition systems, one or two carburetors and produces a maximum of 60 hp (45 kW) at 7200 rpm. It runs on 96 octane automotive gasoline or 100LL avgas. Lubrication is 50:1 super two stroke oil premixed with the fuel.

Variants

Applications

Specifications (535A)

Data from EASA Type Certificate