ULPower 350i/breaking the Highlander engine tradition!

[stede52]

Hey Guys & Gals,
I've decided to break the mold on the Highlander engine tradition.  I just ordered the new ULPower 350i, 125hp, 170lb Fuel injection, electronic ignition, 4 cylinder direct drive engine for my Highlander on the bench.  I just sold first Highlander so I decided to try something really new and different in experimental engines which is something I normally wouldn't do but the reports from those using the ULPower 260i (95hp) in Escapades in Europe, have been sooooo positive and the lure of fuel injection just got to me . I should see the engine by the end of November.  The engine comes with it's own muffler and the 170lb flying weight is supposed to including muffler and fluids, so they say. Pricing for the 350i is about the same or less then the 912s (ready to fly) which I heard had another increase in October, but I don't know that for a fact. To get more info on the ULPower see their site: http://www.ulpower.com/index.html, and the US distributor for the engine is http://www.flywithgus.net/index.html I'll keep the forum updated on the engine and when it arrives.

Steve

[taildrgfun]

That looks really interesting. I would like to find out more about it.

[stede52]

here's an article on the 260i

Steve

[jones2873]

Congrats Steve on choosing a UL350i,
we have an Escapade here in the UK with a UL260i installed and we are in the process of fast taxying it at the moment but havent flown it yet.
The aircraft has been built by four of us in a group (The Phoenix Group) and after a lot of delibiration decided on the UL engine as being the best choice for the Escapade.
Some of the points I would like to make about the use of this engine in any  aircraft are that-
1. Make sure that your electrical system is wired 100% right as without electrical power this engine will stop.
2. Locate the engine ECU inside the cockpit well away from the heat of the engine.
3. Mke sure that you blast cool the voltage regulator with a scat hose from the outside air.

If you stick to those points above I don't think you will go far wrong with this engine  really sounds great has been well engineered and is really based on old aircraft engine technology with modern engine management systems for fuel control and ignition control with a proper aircraft engine sound without that shake and rattle that you get with the Rotax gearbox when you shut down.


Will update on progress and  post some pictures of our Escapade soon.

John (Phoenix Group)

[stede52]

thanks John,
I'm really looking forward to the engine and definitly keep us posted on the progress on your Escapade. Just curious but did you have to do much modification on the cowl?  Pictures, as you know , are worth a thousand words.

Steve

[rmullins]

Nice looking engine but the attached article said that it was considerably more than either the 912 or Jabiru. I'm a fan of the 912 but the price has already gone past nuts and with recent price increases is approaching insane.

And if you like fuel injection there is a company that is making one for the 912 for $3200

http://www.sdsefi.com/aircraft.html

[jones2873]

Hi Steve,
we didn't have to mod the cowls too much we had to mould blisters for the two front cylinders and a small one for the front right spark plug also a small one on the top for the throttle butterfly quadrant.
But I think with your 350i you will have to widen for all cylinders as the engine is wider because they have increased its stroke.
I have actually seen the 350i in one of our shows UL Power had a stand there, and you could see that the cylinders are quite a bit taller.
On our Escapade we had to fit two battery's with a change over system to satisfy our LAA and also the secondary fuel pump option as well but our aircraft has still come in at 557LB's empty weight which is not bad.
When you get the engine you really get everything you need with it apart from the oil cooler you even get all the fuel lines and the special crimper for the ferrules on the high pressure pipes, you dont need anything else.
One thing I would say though is that you should install the secondary fuel pump kit as if the main pump were to fail the the engine would stop instantly.
One other good thing about this engine is that things like the ignition coils injectors pumps fuel filter are for what I can see straight off the modern  VW-Audi range and so these parts should be available locally. Even the oil filter is a standard off the shelf Renault unit.
I will get some pictures of our cowl to you in the next week or so and some pictures of the whole aircraft.

John.

[stede52]

Rick, I agree that the 350i is quite a bit more then the 3300 Jab (which would have been the next choice of engine),  however, it's really not much more than the 912s after you add up all the items you need to buy to make ithe 912 flight worthy, not only that 350i is a 125hp were the 912s is 100hp if you use the airbox and their exhaust system. With that said, the 350i is more in the league of the 914 at 115hp which base price is $30K!!!  The ULPower 460i engine is more comparable the the 912 in horse power and the 460i pricing is around $18K ready to run which I'm pretty sure is a thousand or two less then the base price 912s. Don't get me wrong I'm not putting down the 912, mine has worked great, however, like many other pilots I've talked with, everyone likes to see other options that are less complex with newer technolgy (actually fuel injection isn't new technology except in experimental engines) and don't nickel and dime you to death like Rotax does. I'm just thinking that if this engine is as good as I hope it will be, 1) I'm going to blow the doors of GaryH and his 3300 2) the total cost of ownership should be considerbly less then a Rotax due to its simplicity of maintenance and cost of parts over its life, 3) maybe better fuel economy since fuel injection is generally more fuel efficient then carbs, and 4) the biggest cost saving will be at TBO, have you ever check out the cost of a TBO rebuild on a 912??? ITS OUTRAGOUS ........The Lesson here is that you can justify anything if you really want it bad enough , that's pretty much what I've done

John,
thanks for the tips, I did order the additional fuel pump and I like the back up battery thing.  That's what I really liked about the rotax, once started it didn't need the battery. Your other points all fall under the low cost and simplicity factor, which is what I really liked. Looking forward to the pictures

Steve

[Gary H]

Hey, I just bought another plane with the money I saved buying the 3300,,LOL, just kidding.  :D

[rmullins]

If you really want to try something really different, how about a Yamaha 3 cylinder, 4 stroke, dry sump, 145 pounds and 120 HP?

Here is a thread from a gyrocopter guy that converted one...

http://rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16100

[Dave Krall CFII SEL SES]

Cool engine. It seems to me the MAX advertised HP is at 3300 RPM. Wouldn't that require a reduction redrive or a reduction in max RPM with concomitant loss of HP? I thought props were most efficient at about 25-2600 RPM.

[Gary H]

Dave
Is that a Jabiru 3300 ringing in my ears??

[Dave Krall CFII SEL SES]

Did you take delivery of your new FADEC engine Steve? Sounds sweet.
How's the Borer prop looking for it? What'd the engine cost you?

[stede52]

Picked up my ULPower 350i today and it's beautiful, I will be doing some modification or making a new cowl. Now the fun begins

Steve

[Lynng]

Looks pretty sweet.....who made the engine mount?