Kitfox "Royale" Rotec

[Slyfox]

so what have you done to compensate for the extra weight up front, just thinking because I think mine came in around 125 pounds(engine complete without exhaust). This being for a model 4.

[Av8r3400]

Does the 232# include the oil tank and related hardware?

[Joe Meyeres]

What I did was weighed the airplane to configure my weight and balance. I found that I was on the fwd edge of the center of gravity for flight with my battery mounted behind the baggage compartment on the provided tray. What I "needed" was to balance the airplane so that a 100# pilot could run the airplane out of fuel and still be within the cg in order to make his/her emergency landing if needed. (This would be the worse case scenerio.) So I built a shelf and mounted it on the tubing above the tailwheel. On it I mounted a 5# lead weight. I also made provisions to add a second 5# weight to that shelf. Went out to fly and found that it worked OK but it needed just a little more. (In slow flight with full up elevotor trim it still took substantial backpressure to hold level flight.) I hated to add any more weight to the airplane, but decided it was worth it especially since I already pre-planned it. So I added the second 5# weight to my shelf. Remember... anything put in the airplane (basically aft of the panel...ie fuel, pax, baggage...) is going to improve the CG, but you have got to watch the gross weight. On my airplane, two 170# (high school weighted) adults, full fuel and 40#'s of baggage... I am about 100# over gross but there is no way I am close to the aft CG. Now I decide what 100# I can live without.

[Joe Meyeres]

No, the 232 does not include oil tank. Mine is mounted on the tubing fwd of the instrument panel and is velcro strapped to the frame with 1 inch velcro belting. Virtually no weight for mounting hardware that way.

If anyone wants photo's I would be more than happy to provide them.

[paulc]

Allbee what does a 912 come in at installed, after all those hoses, water, radiator, starter, exhaust, oil tank, belt driven alternator? Do these come as standard or do you have to pay extra? Aside from making your wallet light what lbs does all this add to the airframe?

I bet is gets pretty messy under the cowl with all that junk in the trunk, good thing for cowls eh, covers the mess.

[paulc]

Allbee, 125 lbs you say, hmmmmm?

I found this from the Rotax site: http://www.rotax-aircraft-engines.co..._912_S_ULS.pdf

912ULS Raw Engine= 125lbs
Oil Cooler = 1.2 (dry)
Water Radiator = 2.2 (dry)
Clutch = 3.7
Air Box = 2.8
Filters = .7
Exhaust = 8.8
Air Hood = 1.8
Pumps = 1.8
Prop Govenor = 5.9
40 amp alternator = 6.6
Suspension Frame = 4.4
Fky dat = 1.1

And I reckon you need these too:
Coolant = 9.0
Oil = 8.0
Various rubber hoses = 6.0
Various Fittings, clamps, brakets = 2
Sub Total =191.0 lbs

Now just in case they rounded down instead of up, lets just to be sure add 5% = 200. 5lbs

[Joe Meyeres]

Don't forget the standard 912 is only 80 HP where the Rotec is 110 HP.

[Slyfox]

No way to the 200 lbs. Why do I say that? because you can delete almost all of your list. The engine at the 125lbs. comes with everything except the exhaust, weighs about 5lbs. The radiator, about 3 lbs also, expecially if you use the aluminum one. Hoses, you need two aluminum ones to the radiator, they were so light, I won't comment on what the weighed. I had to put on a very small amount of hoses, maybe 2 lbs worth because the rest came on the engine. Look at the list of what comes with the engine, the mags are part of the engine, altenator is part of engine(you have up to 18amps), the oil tank is part of the engine. I put on the K&N filter, these things are light. No prop governor, electric.

Water in the system is about a quart and a half. Oil is 3 quarts. The mount was supper light. clutch is part of the engine. Oil cooler was supper light.

Like I said, dry weight on the aircraft is 650 do the math yourself.

[paulc]

This is directly from the Rotax site.

The raw engine weighs 125 lbs then if you need any thing from the accessories list you pay extra money for it then add its weight to the core 125 lbs, pretty simple stuff.

I'd suggest you don’t know what the all up weight is of your engine install is?

But why are we talking 912 anyways? Way off topic.

[Slyfox]

you brought it up.