Sale of the D-Motor in the USA, etc. -- D-Motor Aircraft Engine Users Forum

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Date Posted: 23:48:54 02/08/13 Fri
Author: Ken Yoskowitz
Subject: Sale of the D-Motor in the USA, etc.

I have been in recent contact with Alain DeJager, the originator of the D-Motor and have been told the following: He has a contract with Chris Bailey of Renegade LSA as the master distributor for D-Motor in the USA. Bailey's responsibility to D-Motor is to get ASTM certification for the engine and to develop a sub-dealer network within the US. Bailey told me, a couple of months ago, that he doesn't intend to develop any FWF kits and expects builders to do this on their own. I am building an RV12 and have mentioned to both Bailey and DeJager that their are now 219 RV12's flying and almost all are powered by a Rotax 912 installed with a FWF kit developed by Van's Aircraft and sold for a total(engine and FWF pieces including a prop) of $28,000. These 219 have been built in the 4 years the 12 has been available in kits. Who knows how many more are being built now. The point is that most of the 219 builders put up $28,000 because they had the money, didn't want/know how to develop a FWF installation for themselves and last, wanted to register their plane as an E-LSA. E-LSA is a category that only the RV12 can be registered in and it has some special benefits to the builder. The RV12 can also be registered as an E-AB and with that comes all the benefits of the Amateur Built category - like putting a D-Motor in an RV-12 or other LSA kits.

I think the D-Motor is, potentially, the best engine for LSA's that is on the market. Time will tell. I'm hesitant to buy now. I believe DeJager is very serious about putting a quality product on the market. We would, as buyers now, be field testing the engine, however. I don't know how the new, 4 cyl., 95hp version, with longer stroke and possibly other modifications, will change the reliability of the engine and how any issues the engine may have will be addressed in the U.S.

You may know the 4 cyl motor has a redundant engine control unit(2 ecu's in one box). DeJager says he will also have a redundant fuel injection system available soon. No price announced yet. He will not be supplying a water coolant radiator with the purchase price. It will be up to us to source the radiator and decide where and how to mount it. I have asked DeJager to recommend a specific radiator and prop.

So, what to do? Here we have an amazing engine that, at the very least, is a brilliant design but few of us may want to do the groundwork to install the engine. This could be looked at as a business opportunity for one or more of us to develop FWF packages for the most popular LSA kits? What are your thoughts?

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