Rotax

Rotax is the brand name for a range of internal combustion engines developed and manufactured by the Austrian company BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG[1] (until 2016 BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG), in turn owned by the Canadian Bombardier Recreational Products.

For the former British component manufacturer, see Lucas Industries.
BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG
TypePrivate company
IndustryMechanical engineering
Founded1920
Headquarters
Gunskirchen, Upper Austria
,
Austria
ProductsInternal combustion engines
OwnerBRP-Powertrain Management GmbH,
BRP Holdings (Austria) GmbH
ParentBombardier Recreational Products
Websitewww.rotax.com

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.[2] In the light aircraft class, in 1998 Rotax outsold all other aero engine manufacturers combined.[3]

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[4] 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.[2]

Applications

Snowmobiles

Ski-Doo snowmobiles from Bombardier Recreational Products are equipped with Rotax engines, including two-stroke and four-stroke, turbocharged and normally aspirated, two- and three-cylinder models.[5]

Aircraft

Rotax supplies aircraft engines for ultralight aircraft, light aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Motorcycles

The Can-Am division of Bombardier Inc. developed a line of motorcycles starting in 1971, powered by Rotax engines. The Can-Am motorcycle operation was outsourced to Armstrong-CCM Motorcycles in 1983, with production ending in 1987.

Motorcycle manufacturers using Rotax engines, either Rotax-branded or branded for the OEM, include Aprilia, BMW (F and G series), Buell and KTM.

Can-Am resumed motorcycle production with a series of on-road three-wheel motorcycles, starting with the Spyder, using Rotax engines. As of 2020, there are three models: the Ryker uses the 2-cylinder 600 ACE and 3-cylinder 900 ACE, the Spyder F3 uses the 3-cylinder 1300 ACE, and the Spyder RT uses the 3-cylinder 1330 ACE.[6]

Personal watercraft

As of 2020, all Sea-Doo brand personal watercraft from Bombardier Recreational Products are equipped with four-stroke, turbocharged and normally aspirated, three-cylinder Rotax engines of the ACE (Advanced Combustion Efficiency) series.[7]

Off-road vehicles

Can-Am Off-Road vehicles from Bombardier Recreational Products are equipped with Rotax engines.[8]

Karting

The company introduced the Rotax MAX engine for karting in 1998, and started organizing the Rotax Max Challenge in 2000. It also introduced the Mojo karting tyres in 2006 and the XPS lubricants in 2010.

Products

Aircraft engines
Rotax 912 installation

Rotax engines designed specifically for light aircraft include both four-stroke and two-stroke models.

Current models are:

Certified engines[9]
Model 912 A/F 914 F2/F3/F4[10] 912 S/iSc Sport 915 iSc A/B - 916 iSc3 B
Type Certification 25 September 1989 15 May 1996 27 November 1998 14 December 2017
Configuration 4-stroke, 4 cylinder boxer, spark ignition, liquid cooled heads, ram-air cooled cylinders, dry sump
Aspiration natural turbocharger natural turbocharger+intercooler
Fuel delivery 2× CD carburetors injection, dual channel FADEC
Fuel automotive gasoline or AVGAS
Stroke 61 mm / 2.40 in
Bore 79,5 mm / 3.13 in 84 mm / 3.31 in
Displacement 1211 cm3 / 73.9 cu.in 1352 cm3 / 82.5 cu.in
Compression 9:1 10.8:1 8.2:1
Gear ratio 2,2727:1 / 2,4286:1 2,4286 : 1 2,5454 : 1
Length 590 mm / 23.2 in 665 mm / 26.2 in 596 mm / 23.5 in 657 mm / 25.9 in
Height 375 mm / 14.8 in 531 mm / 20.9 in 398 mm / 15.7 in 398 mm / 15.7 in
Width 576 mm / 22.7 in 578 mm / 22.8 in
Dry Weight 57,1-59,8 kg / 125.88-131.8 lb 71,7-74,4 kg / 158-164 lb 58,3-64,4 kg / 128.52-142 lb 84,6-85,2 kg / 186.4-187.8 lb
Take-off Power 59.6 kW (79.9 hp) 84.5 kW (113.3 hp) 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) 100–117 kW (134–157 hp)
Take-off RPM 5800
Rotax 503

Historical models no longer in production include:

Karting engines

The Rotax MAX engine karting engine is a 2-stroke engine series, launched in 1997.[12]

OEM

The company also produces unbranded engines, parts and complete powertrains for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).[13] Uses include motor bikes and scooters, with complete engines including the Rotax 122 and Rotax 804.[14]

References
  1. BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG (2014). "Company profile at brp-powertrain.com". Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  2. "Bombardier Recreational Products & Vehicles - BRP USA". brp.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  3. Gunston, W.; "World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines", 4th Edition, Patrick Stephens Ltd, 1998, Page 170.
  4. "Company history up to 1969". Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  5. "Rotax Snowmobile engines". Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  6. "2021 Models". Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  7. "Rotax engines - High performance engine for Sea-Doo Watercraft". Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  8. "2021 Off-Road models: Side-by-Side and ATV models". Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  9. "Type Certificate Data Sheets for Rotax 912 series" (PDF). EASA. 15 September 2020.
  10. "Type Certificate Data Sheets for Rotax 914" (PDF). EASA. 5 September 2016.
  11. "The Glaser-Dirks DG500M". aopa.org. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  12. Gschossmann Dominik. "Kart Engine Business of BRP-Powertrain". rotax-kart.com. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  13. Gschossmann Dominik. "we build your engine - Home". rotax-oem.com. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  14. "Startseite". BRP-Rotax. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
External video
How Rotax Builds Aircraft Engines on AVweb
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