This page includes data, discussion, and links for those interested in aircraft engines, both certified and uncertified. If you have any comments or questions, email me at ron@wanttaja.com .

Last update: 26 April 2008.

Engine and Related Home Pages

This section contains links to sites addressing alternative aircraft engines, then general links to other engine sites. No endorsement is made for any of these sites or their products.

I've made an attempt to split these into categories and sub-categories.  If you don't see exactly what you're looking for, search around a bit...I may have put it under the wrong heading.

A compilation of potential aero engines can be found on Jack Ericson's Horizontally-Opposed Piston Aero Engines page.

Automobile and Other Conversions

PSRUs

Alternate Engines

These are engines that are purpose-built for aircraft use (but not certified), Non-US engines, or conversion of non-automotive engines.  I've also lumped in general technical-data sites in this area

Certified Engine Sites


Engine Maintenance and Advice

There are a number of folks who answer questions on engines on various mailing lists.  Occasionally, they'll set up a web page of summaries of their answers.  I don't make any claims as to the accuracy of the advice given...

Engine Weights and Horsepower

The data for the certified engines came from Janes; the data on the auto-engine conversions came from the company selling the conversion. Some folks have reported different experiences, noteably certified engines that weigh more than the values given here. Dirk Rackley's detailed list of certified engines, for instance, gives different weights. His list follows this one.

For auto-engine buffs, you can get a nice list of car-engine weights at Dave Williams' Engine Weights FYI page.

Engine                    HP  Weight(lbs)  Comments
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rotax 503                 50     85      
Great Plains VW 1600CC    55     160     
Hirth F23-EP2             60     70      
Jabira                    60     119

HKS 700E                  60     120     
PZL 2A-120                60     129     
Rotax 582                 63     95     Includes 20 lbs radiator, etc.
Continental A-65          65     173     
Limbach L 1800            66     154     
Limbach L 1700            66     161  
Rotax 618                 74     136     Includes 20 lbs radiator, etc.
Great Plains VW 2180CC    75     165     
Franklin 225              75     230     
Limbach L 2000            80     155     
Rotax 912                 80     165     Includes 20 lbs radiator, et
Continental C-85          85     207
AMW-225-3                 90     100     (Thanks, Juan!)      
Limbach L 2400            94     181  
Continental C-90          95     207       
Great Plains VW 2600CC    96     190    
Stratus Subaru EA-81      100    205       
Continental O-200         100    220     
CAM-100                   100    225    Includes 20 lbs radiator, etc
Formula Power C100        104    210     
Rotax 914                 115    155     
Lycoming O-235            115    215     
PZL 4A-235                116    226     
Hirth F30-FP24            120    101     
Continental IO-240        125    250     
Continental O-300         145    277     
Lycoming O-320-A          150    243     
Lycoming O-320-D          160    253     
Franklin 335              165    320     
Formula Power F170        174    270
Lycoming O-360-A          180    265
Lycoming IO-360-A         200    293
NW Aero Ford V6           200    415
PZL 6A-350                205    330
Continental IO-360        210    350
NW Aero Chevy V6          230    420
Lycoming O-540-B          235    366
Lycoming O-540-E          260    368
Formula Power F260        274    390
Lycoming IO-540-K         300    443

Continental IO-520        300    459
Lycoming IO-720           400    568

Certified Engine Weights and Horsepower

This list was assembled by Dirk Rackley, and posted to rec.aviation.homebuilt by Paul Lamar.
    Engine       Horsepower   Weight 
   -----------------------------------  
    O-200-A           100      190 
    O-200-B           100      220 
    O-300-A           145      268   
    O-300-E           145      268 
    IO-346            165      297    
    IO-360-B          210      327   
    TSIO-360-A        210      334   
    O-470-J           225      381  
    O-470-R           230      438   
    O-470-13          225      414    
    O-470-15          190      405    
    IO-470-C          250      432   
    IO-470-D          260      426   
    IO-470-E          260      461   
    IO-470-F          260      464   
    IO-470-V          260      472  
    TSIO-470-D        260      511
    IO-520-L          285      466
    O-235-C1B         115      240    
    O-290-D2C         140      263    
    O-320-A2B         150      272    
    O-320-A2C         150      271   
    O-320-B2C         160      277   
    O-320-D2A         160      277  
    O-320-E2A         160      277  
    IO-320-B1A        160      285  
    IO-320-C1A        160      294  
    IO-320-E2A        150      280
    O-360-A1D         180      284
    O-360-A3A         180      285
    IO-360-A1A        200      320
    IO-360-B1B        180      295  
    IMO-360-B1B       225      274 

    GO-480-B1D        270      432   
    GO-480-G1D6       295      437   
    IGO-480-A1B6      295      469   
    IGSO-480-A1F6     340      498  
    O-540-A1A5        250      396   
    O-540-B2B5        235      395  
    O-540-B4B5        235      395   
    O-540-B4B5        260      398  
    IO-540-A1A5       290      437   
    IO-540-C4B5       250      402  
    IO-540-D4A5       260      402 
    IO-540-E1A5       290      437     
    IO-540-G1A5       290      443
    IO-540-J4A5       250      409  
    IO-540-K1A5       300      470  
    AEIO-540-L1B5D    300      476  
    IGO-540-B1C       350      500   
    IGSO-540-A1D      380      530  
    IGSO-540-B1A      380      532   
    TIO-540-A1A       310      535   
    TIO-541-E1A6      380      632  
    TIOGO-541-A1A     400      663   
    IO-720-A1A        400      597

Structural Efficiencies

Paul Lamar assembled this list to compare the overall structural efficiencies of various aircraft. He originally sorted the list by the ratio of the empty weight divided by the gross weight. I prefer ratios where "higher is better", so I have calculated the "Payload Percentage": The ratio of useful load vs. gross weight. The higher the percentage, the more efficient your aircraft is.
                   GROSS       EMPTY   USEFUL  PAYLOAD
AIRCRAFT           WEIGHT      WEIGHT  LOAD    PERCENTAGE
-----------------------------------------------------------
Avid 582            1150        510     640     55
Pulsar  582         1000        460     540     54
Murphy 503           850        395     455     53
Lightning Bug AMW    800        375     425     53
Pulsar XP 912       1060        510     550     51
Z. Zodiac 912       1200        580     620     51
Falconar F-12A      1800        898     902     50
Cessna 185          3350       1687    1663     49
Rutan Varieze       1050        535     515     49
Cozy Mark IV        2050        1050    1000    48
Wag CUB alike       1400        720     680     48
Berkut              2000        1035    965     48
KIS TR-4            2300        1200    1100    47
Cessna 207          3800        1996    1804    47
Dragonfly           1150        610     540     46
Rand KR-2S           980        520     460     46
BD-5 Zenoah          660        355     305     46
Velocity 173 RG     2400        1300    1100    45
Velocity 173        2400        1300    1100    45
GlasStar            1650        900     750     45
Murphy O-235        1650        900     750     45
Grumman Tiger       2400        1311    1089    45
Lancair IV          3200        1750    1450    45
Cozy Classic        1750        960     790     45
Super Emeraude      1545        850     695     44
Dyke Delta          1950        1080    870     44
Velocity            2250        1250    1000    44
Velocity RG         2250        1250    1000    44
E-Racer 1800        1000        800     44
KIS TD O-235        1450        812     638     44
KIS Sup IO-240      1450        820     630     43
BD-4                2000        1140    860     43
Express Loadmaster  3200        1825    1375    42
Lancair ES          2800        1600    1200    42
Glasair II          2100        1200    900     42
Avid O-320          1750        1000    750     42
BD-5 TurboPro        890        510     380     42
Stallion            3300        1900    1400    42
Cessna 182          2950        1717    1233    41
WLAC-1 W.L. 4p      2400        1400    1000    41
Wittman W1          1425        840     585     41
Express FT          2850        1700    1150    40
Mooney 201          2740        1640    1100    40
Glasair II RG       2200        1325    875     39
Questair Sprit      1700        1025    675     39
RV-6                1600        965     635     39
RV-4                1500        905     595     39
BD-6                 675        410     265     39
Mustang II          1600        975     625     39
Helio Super Courier 3400        2080    1320    38
Highlander          1165        715     450     38
Acro 1              1222        750     472     38
P51                11600        7125    4475    38
Thorp T-18          1500        923     577     38
Questair Venture    2000        1240    760     38
GP-4                2000        1240    760     38
Cessna 150          1600        1000    600     37
Bonanza V35B        3400        2151    1249    36
Omega II            2100        1350    750     35
Falco               1880        1212    668     35
One Design          1140        740     400     35
Lancair 32          1685        1095    590     35
Glassair III        2500        1625    875     35
Pitts S-1S          1150        750     400     34
Giles G-200         1150        750     400     34
Turner T-40A        1600        1050    550     34
MJ-5 Sirocco        1860        1260    600     32
Midget Mustang      1000        680     320     32
RV-3                1100        750     350     31
BF-109              6090        4180    1910    31
Eagle II            1578        1125    453     28
Stewart S51D        2960        2200    760     25

Some Books on Engines

Courtesy of Paul Lamar: Courtesy of Juan Jimenez:


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