Viking 150 on M7 STi

[Hardwood]

Good day, I’m interested in putting this engine on my model 7 STi and wanted to ask if anyone knows where I can get a carbon fiber cowling made to fit? I asked Heather if the Rotax 915is CFC will fit and she wasn’t sure. Viking only does fiberglass.

If you know of a place where I can order one I’d sure love to hear back from you.

Thanks,

Matt

[frank603]

I have the SS7 and after doing my homework on both Viking and Rotax I'm going to go with the Viking 130. It's better quality at a better price.

[Hardwood]

I have the SS7 and after doing my homework on both Viking and Rotax I'm going to go with the Viking 130. It's better quality at a better price.

Good day Sir and thanks for the response. Do you know if the 130 can have a turbo added to it? I think the same on the quality and price, I would like to have a turbo so I can get better STOL performance at higher altitudes if I decide to fly in those areas and to get up in the flight levels too just to raise some eyebrows. I have not yet made my purchase. Have you? Last Monday I purchased my avionics & was about to buy the Rotax & MT propeller. A commenter on my YouTube channel told me about Viking & since then I’ve been reading & learning whatever I can about them.

Thanks & have a good day,

Matt

[Eric Page]

...wanted to ask if anyone knows where I can get a carbon fiber cowling made to fit?
There's a guy in... I think Alaska making carbon fiber Kitfox parts, but I don't know if he'll make a custom cowling for a non-standard engine. A local friend bought some stuff from him. Alex, do you have that guy's contact info?


...I'm going to go with the Viking 130. It's better quality...
Better quality than what, and how do you come to that conclusion? Kit completion rates and engine-related accident statistics don't argue in favor of automotive conversions.


I spent considerable effort looking at several automotive conversions. I was given some advice that I think was sound, so I'll pay it forward below.

Part of the price premium for an "aircraft engine" is the redundancy in engine management, ignition and fuel supply, and the bespoke, un-spliced wiring harness. To take Rotax as the obvious example, their iS engines use a dual-channel ECU with dual power supplies. The ECU is sourced from Rockwell-Collins, a company with decades of experience in airline and military avionics. The Rotax wiring harness is a work of art. There are thousands of examples of Rotax aircraft engines in service worldwide, with millions of hours of flight experience. Rotax TBOs have steadily increased to the current 2,000 hours for all models. Also, Kitfox has firewall-forward installation kits and cowlings for them.

Unlike many modern purpose-built aircraft engines, automotive conversions are often managed by a single-channel ECU with a single power source (if not the OEM ECU, then a unit from the auto racing world). The OEM wiring harness will probably contain multiple splices to adapt it to aircraft use. Auto engines have one spark plug and one coil pack per cylinder. Many rely on a timing belt and will catastrophically self-destruct if that belt breaks. There's no redundancy because cars don't need it and because auto engines are built to very stringent performance, emissions and price targets. Yes, they're extremely reliable... in cars, where they spend most of their lives loafing along at low RPM and a fraction of their rated output.

That said, given Viking's website and YouTube marketing about sourcing engines from shipping-damaged new cars with 5-10 miles on them, if I were buying an engine from them I would demand nothing less. I wouldn't accept an engine from a car that was sold, driven and crashed (possibly by a thief who bounced it off the rev limiter for 20 minutes -- just for the lulz (https://www.google.com/search?q=lulz)! -- before wrapping it around a light pole).

Anyway, there's my unsolicited input. Very possibly worth what you paid for it.

[PapuaPilot]

For the Viking engine or any auto conversion you need to ask if your insurance company will be willing to cover plane with that engine. In the last few years they have gotten very picky about 2 stroke and auto conversions. Some companies will not even touch you. The accident rates prove their concern.

I assume you want to insure you Kitfox when it is done.

[alexM]

There's a guy in... I think Alaska making carbon fiber Kitfox parts, but I don't know if he'll make a custom cowling for a non-standard engine. A local friend bought some stuff from him. Alex, do you have that guy's contact info?

Nothing to add to what Eric or Phil said, but if you're going to proceed and want carbon parts you can contact Randy Appling at Carbon Concepts: carbonconceptsak@gmail.com

I have no affiliation with him, I'm just a former customer.

[frank603]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll definitely look into the insurance aspect but I thought I had seen the 915IS at a 1200 TBO which is like a continental engine as far as longevity. As far as the 912IS goes I may consider it for the redundancy and the 2000 hr. TBO but as far as that goes what's wrong with a Lyc. 0-235 with a throttle body besides the weight.

[Eric Page]

...I thought I had seen the 915IS at a 1200 TBO...
Yep, looks like I was wrong about the 915. Sorry 'bout that. Good catch.

[alexM]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll definitely look into the insurance aspect but I thought I had seen the 915IS at a 1200 TBO which is like a continental engine as far as longevity. As far as the 912IS goes I may consider it for the redundancy and the 2000 hr. TBO but as far as that goes what's wrong with a Lyc. 0-235 with a throttle body besides the weight.
Not a darn thing except it weighs about as much as an O-320, at which point you may as well have the extra 35hp.