Whole Family of NA Engines Now Mates Up to Most of Sonex Lineup

Cooper Aircraft Corporation has expanded support for Rotax installations with a new mount for naturally aspirated engines.

The new mounts cover the Highwing, Legacy, B Model, Onex, Sonex, Waiex, and Xenos. The mounts are delivered in white, and will mount up the Rotax 912UL, 912ULS, 912iS, 914UL, 915iS and 916iS. Currently, the team is working on turbocharged Rotax installations, but that will come later on once the creases are all ironed out. Cooper is quite proud to join the mainstream world of LSA power, noting that traditionally Sonex “has largely been powered by Aeroconversion's Aerovee, Aerovee Turbo, and Jabiru’s since the very beginning.”

For prospective buyers this is great news: The Rotax 912 and its extended family are as close to a modern “blue chip” engine design as the world of experimentals has ever had. Cooper emphasizes the huge variety on tap from the Euro brand: “The possibilities at this point are truly endless when going Rotax. With engine options ranging from 80-160hp, max service ceiling of 23,000 feet, 2-6 blade propeller configurations, all engines have a 2,000 hour TBO (except the 915iS at 1,200 hours), and fully broken in when delivered with warranty, from $18,000-$62,000.”

Kits will include OEM Rotax cooling parts, fiberglass components, weldments, brackets, hoses, fittings, and miscellany. Fuel system parts and wiring are not included. An optional Toucan dual exhaust system can be had, too, if you’d like some grunt with your build. 

“We have performed extensive ground testing by comparing warm up times, full power tethered pulls, and overall temperatures in 100 degree environments against other aircraft as well as our Rotax powered Sonex as the "control" aircraft. We have been very pleased with the results... We took to the skies and tested the Onex and its installation. While we expected it to perform well, frankly, we didn't expect to perform as well as it did. The flight went flawlessly. The plane is so well balanced, it would fly with or without a pilot (although we know that's not possible). It did not have a heavy wing, cooling issues, or any issues to speak of. Very uneventful, which is what you strive for on a test flight.”

Cost for the Rotax install kit is $2,700 less shipping, and stocks are already flying out the door from the sound of things. Get on the list by contacting Sonex with make and model to get a quote on lead time and total cost. 

FMI: www.cooperaircraftcorporation.com