Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Rotax 912 series discussion.

Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby mcjon77 » Sat Sep 30, 2023 10:47 pm

Hi. I was wondering if anyone has done light aerobatics in their Rotax Powered Sonex./Waiex/Onex? I have heard that there are some issues with flying aerobatics with a rotax powered plane.
Jon
Back To Building (after long hiatus) Sonex #1287
mcjon77
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:20 am

Re: Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby 13brv3 » Sun Oct 01, 2023 12:33 am

I can't imagine why there would be any issues aside from negative Gs. I don't do a lot of aerobatics, but I've pulled 4 G's and done rolls and spins. What problems did you hear about?

Rusty
Rusty
Onex- Rotax 912 (160 hours and counting)
Fixed wing, gyroplane, A&P
13brv3
 
Posts: 466
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 11:59 am
Location: Tellico Plains, TN

Re: Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby gcm52 » Tue Oct 03, 2023 9:24 am

The 912 operating manual limits zero g or negative g flight to 5 seconds.
George Mueller
Onex Trigear
Rotax 912 ULS
gcm52
 
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 12:23 pm

Re: Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby GordonTurner » Tue Oct 03, 2023 8:29 pm

Five seconds is a long time for normal people. Don’t worry about it.

Gordon
Waiex 158 New York. N88YX registered.
3.0 Liter Corvair built, run, and installed.
Garmin panel, Shorai LiFePo batteries.
GordonTurner
 
Posts: 668
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:14 am
Location: NY, NY

Re: Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby mcjon77 » Tue Oct 03, 2023 11:36 pm

13brv3 wrote:I can't imagine why there would be any issues aside from negative Gs. I don't do a lot of aerobatics, but I've pulled 4 G's and done rolls and spins. What problems did you hear about?

Rusty


I thought that aerobatics were banned for 912s. If it is just a matter of no negative or neutral g aerobatics for more than 5 seconds, that is much more acceptable. I only wanted to do light "gentleman" aerobatics.
Jon
Back To Building (after long hiatus) Sonex #1287
mcjon77
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:20 am

Re: Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby 13brv3 » Tue Oct 03, 2023 11:57 pm

mcjon77 wrote:I thought that aerobatics were banned for 912s. If it is just a matter of no negative or neutral g aerobatics for more than 5 seconds, that is much more acceptable. I only wanted to do light "gentleman" aerobatics.


Rotax seems to have a lot of rules, but I've never heard one for aerobatics. As long as you maintain positive Gs, the engine doesn't know if you're upside down. They set specific limits for how high your oil tank can be, so I have to believe you're fine as long as you stay in the accepted range.

I had inverted fuel and oil on an RV-8 I built decades ago. Even with a younger brain, negative Gs got old fast. My current old brain doesn't even want to think about it :-)

Rusty
Rusty
Onex- Rotax 912 (160 hours and counting)
Fixed wing, gyroplane, A&P
13brv3
 
Posts: 466
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 11:59 am
Location: Tellico Plains, TN

Re: Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby Bryan Cotton » Wed Oct 04, 2023 12:14 am

I do miss -1G. Was good to stop level inverted before rolling out at the top of an immelmann.
Bryan Cotton
Poplar Grove, IL C77
Waiex 191 N191YX
Taildragger, Aerovee, acro ailerons
dual sticks with sport trainer controls
Prebuilt spars and machined angle kit
Year 2 flying and approaching 200 hours December 23
User avatar
Bryan Cotton
 
Posts: 5489
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 9:54 pm
Location: C77

Re: Aerobatics in Rotax powered Sonex?

Postby Brett » Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:10 am

I have done loops, rolls, spins ect in mine since installing the rotax but have held some trepidation about stall turns. I used to love doing them with the aerovee but haven't tried one yet with the Rotax. What's people's thoughts about them?
Thanks
Sonex 1645
VH-VWS
Tailwheel
Former Aerovee Turbo
Rotax 912
Brett
 
Posts: 269
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 3:49 am
Location: Geraldton W.A Australia


Return to Rotax

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests