Mistral’s two-rotor turbocharged G-230-TS Wankel engine was on display in the Piper Arrow airframe it pulled to the show. The Swiss-built 230-hp, liquid-cooled is being developed in Daytona Beach, FL, with the assistance of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The installation amassed more than 30 flights before arriving in OSH. Testing for FAA certification is underway. Although the engine itself, which displaces just 654cc from the twin rotors, is little bigger than a beer keg, it requires considerable ancillary equipment, including a radiator and plumbing for the turbocharger. Wankels traditionally use dual spark plugs, so it’s no surprise to see the Mistral’s redundant ignition systems. Using a planetary gear prop reduction unit, the engine can turn … 6500 rpm … for a prop speed of just 2300 rpm. Weighing 328 pounds dry, the G-230 is intended to burn 100LL or unleaded auto gas.
Wankel: Mistral Rotary Hmmmms In
Key Takeaways:
- Mistral's G-230-TS Wankel engine is a 230-hp, liquid-cooled, twin-rotor turbocharged unit being developed with Embry-Riddle and displayed in a Piper Arrow.
- The engine, compact in size (654cc), is currently undergoing FAA certification and requires significant ancillary equipment like a radiator and turbocharger plumbing.
- It features redundant ignition, a planetary gear prop reduction unit (6500 engine rpm to 2300 prop rpm), weighs 328 lbs dry, and is designed to run on 100LL or unleaded auto gas.
See a mistake? Contact us.
