Why the Mazda 13B Rotary Engine?
One of the things that bothered me most about building (or owning) an aircraft was the staggering cost of the engine and engine parts. I bought my 193 hp Jeep, with the entire body and extras and every was already put together, for $20,000. The cost of a factory new 180 hp aircraft engine is about $24,000 and it doesn’t even come with spark plugs (8x$17), an alternator, control cables, wiring, intake ducts, air filter, oil filter, oil, oil cooler or starter, AND you have to install it your self. A sodium exhaust valve commonly found in trucks costs $12. The same valve in an aircraft, made of the same material but of a slightly different shape, costs over $200. And these engines really are not that reliable. They are constantly at the limits of their structural tolerance. That is why there are so many recalls and structural failures with certified engines. Check out my page on Certified engine Bloops, blunders, and Recalls to see examples. There really has to be a better way. One rule,
