carb icing in Rotax 912 ULS in an RV12

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by Tony_T

I believe RV12JT has a Sling aircraft. Sometimes important details are left out.

Yea, that could be a missing relevant piece of info.........

[Ron B.]

Some important information left out.
Some people like myself look at VAF for more information than Van's aircraft. Carb heat is a good example. On the RV 12 it is common practice that carb heat is not required on the 912 series engine. But deeper research shows that airframes with a 912 installation where the engine is not enclosed in a cowl should have carb icing protection installed. I'm just finishing up on an AirCam and did not have anything in place and carb heat was one of the last items installed because I thought carb icing was not an issue on the 912ULS.

[RV12JT]

Originally Posted by Tony_T

I believe RV12JT has a Sling aircraft. Sometimes important details are left out.

Yes, I?ve got a Sling 2, S-LSA. WOW, I would have thought that feature to be standard on all Rotax 912 UL/ULS applications, unlike air boxes or placement of radiators, which I?ve seen mounted differently in some aircraft.

I haven?t come across any Rotax powered aircraft that had manually operated carb heat in the cockpit. Are there any?

[moosepileit]

Not sure type-wise if this is standard, but there is an electric and an engine-coolant based system available.

[KeithB]

I have a Rotax 912 installed on an Airborne trike (weight-shift control LSA). It has the coolant-based carb heat (always on) - perhaps due to the open/uncowled installation mentioned on the AirCam.

[philrisl]

Rans uses the rotax airbox that uses cockpit controlled carb heat. The airbox is expensive. I have it on my 912 powered Rans S19 using a Rans supplied neat muff on the muffler and cold air induction. That being said I have used it except during preflight runup and have never experienced carb ice.

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by philrisl

That being said I have used it except during preflight runup and have never experienced carb ice.

Did you actually mean to say you "haven't used it except during preflight run-up"?

[Art_N412SB]

Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002

A lot of testing (including the use of temp sensors) was done during the early development of the RV-12.
This was more for evaluating what benefit in performance there would be if a cold air induction system were used (yes, even that was tested but found to not be worth the added cost and complexity).

This testing (and Van's is locate in the wet Pacific North West), along with the accumulated flight time of 650+ RV-12's flying many thousands of hrs around the world, in widely varied flight conditions, has provided data that indicates carb. icing is not an issue.

Thanks Scott. This is helpful

[philrisl]

Scott, yes I HAVEN'T used it except for preflight run- up. Fat fingers!

[HarryL]

I?ve got hot-water carb heaters on my RV12
http://www.skydrive.co.uk/proddetail...-3-BODY&cat=36

This was a recommendation from another UK-based builder and it seems very common on many 912ULS engines here even if not particularly on RV12s.