BRP-Powertain is expanding its Rotax line with the new 915 iS turbocharged piston engine, which will develop 135 hp. The new engine is a four-stroke, four-cylinder piston engine with intercooler and redundant fuel injection system, and it will be equipped with a Rockwell Collins dual-channel engine control unit (ECU) with integrated turbocharging control and protection features.

These include managing turbocharger and engine boost conditions within safe operating limits, according to Rockwell Collins, and automation of fuel/air mixture and exhaust gas temperatures. The ECU also monitors engine and control system health.

Performance capabilities of the new engine include takeoff power to 15,000 feet and a service ceiling of 23,000 feet. “This more powerful aircraft engine—the Rotax 915 iS—was specifically requested by our customers,” said Thomas Uhr, vice president and general manager of BRP-Powertrain. “It opens the way for larger, heavier aircraft, larger gyrocopters and even small helicopters, or simply more performance for current applications.”