Hi Group, my name is Gonzalo, I’m from Chile, building a Cozy MK IV and new in this group.

 

As you can imagine. Although I have a couple of years left of building, I’m moving ahead looking for engine options. Of all the alternatives I’ve founded in the web, always I come back to the same two options: the XP-360 and the Rotary.

 

The XP-360 represent, I think, the “traditional approach”, while the Rotary is like the new era. I’ve been reading a lot, and I think I can resume all my reading in one statement: the users of traditional general aviation engines (Lyc type) says that if I go with the rotary, I’ll expend more time trying to make it working than actually flying, so, after a while, I’ll become so tired that I’ll move to the Lyc type anyway, because the Rotary is less reliable.

 

I’ve meet Bulent Aliev, a very nice guy who showed me his aircraft (very, very nice) and he had a Rotary, and after 20 hour he moved to a XP-360. He told me that there are too much electronics involved with the Wankel. He told me that If I want to fly, use the Lyc.

 

On the other side, Bulent told me that the factory of the XP-360 is broke, so, the warranty is no longer valid. (supposed to be 3 years)

 

One very important issue I think is the maintenance and replacement parts. Aviation engines are SO expensive, while I think that the Rotary might be cheaper.

 

Also, I would like to have some information about some issues that the Lyc. says are the weak points of the Wankel, like high operating RPM, difficulties for cooling, too much electronics, and others…

 

At the end, to be honest I like very much the Rotary idea, so I’m asking you for opinion and experience, since I think that almost all the people who say that the Rotary doesn’t work actually has no experience with it.

 

Thanks a lot for your time.

 

Gonzalo

Santiago - Chile