CubCrafters announced a software-only FADEC upgrade on Tuesday for eligible aircraft powered by the Rotax 916 iS engine. The company said the upgrade was developed with pilot Luke Czepiela and RS Flight Systems. According to the Yakima, Washington-based company, the update is available immediately and is priced at $1,500.
The company said the upgrade is intended to improve acceleration, climb performance, cruise speed, deceleration and energy management without requiring hardware changes. CubCrafters said the software has been evaluated on aircraft equipped with both Hartzell and MT propeller options. Owners are directed to contact customer support for eligibility, scheduling and installation details.
“The Rotax 916 iS is already an incredible engine, but we saw opportunities to further optimize how it delivers power throughout the flight envelope,” Czepiela said. “The goal wasn’t simply to increase performance on paper. We wanted to make the aircraft feel more responsive and enjoyable to fly. Whether you’re accelerating for takeoff, climbing into the mountains, cruising cross-country, or setting up for a short-field landing, pilots will notice the difference.”
No mention in the story of what Rotax has to say about the modification. Will this void any warrantee? Rotax is traditionally a very proprietary organization and doesn’t support any modifications to their engines. This is a relatively new engine so is see lots of risk here.