Rotax

For the former British component manufacturer, see Lucas Industries.
BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG
Private company
Industry Mechanical engineering, Aerospace
Founded 1920
Headquarters Gunskirchen, Austria
Products Internal combustion engines
Owner

BRP-Powertrain Management GmbH,

BRP Holdings (Austria) GmbH
Parent Bombardier Recreational Products
Website www.rotax.com

Rotax is the brand name for a range of internal combustion engines developed and manufactured by the Austrian company BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG[1] (until 2008 BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG), in turn owned by the Canadian Bombardier Recreational Products.

Rotax four-stroke and advanced two-stroke engines are used in a wide variety of small land, sea and airborne vehicles. Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) use them in their own range of such vehicles.[2] In the light aircraft class, in 1998 Rotax outsold all other engine manufacturers combined.[3]

History

The company was founded in 1920 in Dresden, Germany, as ROTAX-WERK AG. In 1930, it was taken over by Fichtel & Sachs and transferred its operations to Schweinfurt, Germany. Operations were moved to Wels, Austria, in 1943 and finally to Gunskirchen, Austria, in 1947. In 1959, the majority of Rotax shares were taken over[4] by the Vienna-based Lohner-Werke, a manufacturer of car and railway wagon bodies.

In 1970, Lohner-Rotax was bought by the Canadian Bombardier Inc. The former Bombardier branch, Bombardier Recreational Products, now an independent company, uses Rotax engines in its ground vehicles, personal water craft, and snowmobiles.[2]

Products

Aircraft engines

Rotax supplies aircraft engines for ultralight aircraft, light aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Rotax engines designed specifically for light aircraft include both four-stroke and two-stroke models.

Current models are:

Historical models no longer in production include:

Karting engines

The company developed the Rotax MAX engine for Karting. This 2-stroke engine series was launched 1997.[6]

OEM

The company also produces unbranded engines, parts and complete power trains for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).[7] Uses include motor bikes and scooters, with complete engines including the Rotax 122 and Rotax 804.[8] Motorcycle manufacturers using Rotax engines include Aprilia, BMW (F and G series), Buell and KTM.

References

  1. BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG (2014). "Company profile at brp-powertrain.com". Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Bombardier Recreational Products & Vehicles - BRP USA". brp.com. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  3. Gunston, W.; "World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines", 4th Edition, Patrick Stephens Ltd, 1998, Page 170.
  4. "Company history up to 1969". Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  5. "The Glaser-Dirks DG500M". aopa.org. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  6. Gschossmann Dominik. "Kart Engine Business of BRP-Powertrain". rotax-kart.com. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  7. Gschossmann Dominik. "we build your engine - Home". rotax-oem.com. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  8. "Startseite". BRP-Rotax. Retrieved 24 September 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rotax.
External video
How Rotax Builds Aircraft Engines on AVweb
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