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  #1  
Old 09-12-2013, 06:03 PM
sandpiper sandpiper is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Independence, OR
Posts: 316
Default Fuel Injected 912 for RV-12?

There was recently a 912i training class in the Bahamas where a rumor leaked out. A Rotax guy supposedly rattled off a bunch of manufacturers as 912i users and Vans was on the list. Didn't mention for which RV, just included Vans.

Any truth here?
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  #2  
Old 09-12-2013, 06:23 PM
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bhassel bhassel is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
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And the 12 just keeps getting better and better!

Bob
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  #3  
Old 09-12-2013, 07:13 PM
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WingedFrog WingedFrog is offline
 
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Location: Raleigh, NC
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The carburated 912 ULS is doomed my friends, sooner or later VANs will have no other choice than going 912 i: this is called progress!
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Kit # 120395 N124BX
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  #4  
Old 09-12-2013, 07:17 PM
splitty splitty is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hervey Bay Queensland Australia
Posts: 205
Talking 912iS

We can only Wait & Hope! Took a long time to get SV up & running...!
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  #5  
Old 09-12-2013, 07:47 PM
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Geico266 Geico266 is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Huskerland, USA
Posts: 5,862
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Too heavy in my book, but we will see.
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  #6  
Old 09-12-2013, 07:51 PM
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WingedFrog WingedFrog is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Geico266 View Post
Too heavy in my book, but we will see.
What's your weight Geico?
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Kit # 120395 N124BX
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Builder's Blog:http://vieilleburette.blogspot.com/
EAA 1114
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  #7  
Old 09-12-2013, 08:35 PM
rgmwa rgmwa is online now
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 1,647
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The 912is has created a lot of interest and is clearly a very nice engine, but apart from getting rid of the carbs, what do people see as the big attraction? Similar power, more weight, more cost. Doesn't sound like a great leap forward to me. What am I missing?
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  #8  
Old 09-12-2013, 08:43 PM
RFSchaller RFSchaller is offline
 
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Supposedly there is a 20% fuel saving over the ULS. Hard To believe, but I really don't have any personal knowledge.
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  #9  
Old 09-12-2013, 09:20 PM
rgmwa rgmwa is online now
 
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Location: Perth, Western Australia
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Even if the 20% fuel saving is real, using our mogas cost of about $1.50/litre (about $5.25 $US/gal at the current exchange rate), by my quick estimate I'd have to fly around 700 hours to break even on the additional purchase cost (about $4k extra as I recall). I'd be doing well to reach that number in the next 10 years. You lucky guys in the US with much cheaper fuel would have fly half way to TBO to break even. Maybe the 912ULS will fall by the wayside eventually, but in the meantime I won't be spending too much time wondering how to alter the cowl and mount to fit the new engine in. I may be wrong, but from what Van's have said so far, they won't be doing that either.
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  #10  
Old 09-12-2013, 09:32 PM
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rvbuilder2002 rvbuilder2002 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Hubbard Oregon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RFSchaller View Post
Supposedly there is a 20% fuel saving over the ULS. Hard To believe, but I really don't have any personal knowledge.
I think the word supposedly is a correct word to use at this point. There is not enough real world experience to yet validate the new fuel economy claims. I don't doubt that it is better than the carbed engine, but I am not yet convinced it is 20% better.

Case in point...
If you fly an RV-12 with the carbed engine, at max continuous cruise power, you will not get the fuel economy that was typically published 6 years ago when Van's first started playing with the 912 in the yellow prototype.
Sure, you can match the claimed numbers, but at a reduced cruise speed.

So, is the 20% fuel flow claim, a reduction from what we know a carbed engine burns at max. cruise power, or a 20% reduction on what it was always claimed to burn?

As for the rumor? It is not true. There is no work being done to adapt the 912iS to the RV-12. Van's is still concentrating on trying to re coupe all of the $ spent during 5 + years of development (I say 5 years plus because there is still work going on developing improvements etc).

It may be true that eventually Rotax will force it to happen. If it does, it will require a lot more engineering (probably more than most people realize). Until then, Van's will likely soldier on selling more Rotax 912 engines in the USA per year than any other company (not making that claim, but I think it is pretty likely).
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