ULPower News

Quoi faire ce weekend ? Venez rencontrer l'équipe de Aéromax Services au meeting aérien à l'aérodrome de Gap-Tallard. View the full article

Do you want to discover the ULPower engines ? Jonathan and Patricia from Metal Seagulls will tell you all about our engines at the Popham microlight trade fairon 5 +6 May. View the full article

Checking your engine data has never been more simple. The new ULRead diagnostic software for ULPower Aero Engines is now availble ! Download your free software here http://ulpower.com/en/accessories/ulread-software View the full article

The ULPower Aero Engine team will be at Aero in Germany (18-21 April 2018) – stand B3-106 – where you will be made most welcome to see inside the ULPower engine… Check out ULPower.news regularly if you want to find out the new features that will be presented at Aero Friedrichshafen. View the full article

It's that time of the year again . Go find theULPower Guy in Paradise City, booth 45 at the Sun N Fun fly-in. He will gladly tell you everything there is to know about our engines. View the full article

Due to bad weather conditions, the 37th EAA gathering in Argentina has been reschudeled to 24 + 25 March. Visit our ULPower man, Mr. Sergio Luiten and the team from Taller Aeronautico Santo Tomé ,at the major EAA gathering for experimental aviation in Argentina. (17 + 18 March ) http://eaaargentina.org/categoria.asp?id=392 You can also meet the people from Ibis Aircraft who will have flown their ULPowered Magic GS-730 from Colombia to Argentina by that time. View the full article

If you want to know more about ULPower Aero Engines, come and meet the ULPower Superman Philip Cronje at the Middelburg Airport in South Africa this weekend. Superman in South Africa ? Exactly ! Take a look ...http://ulpower.news/philip-cronje-the-ulp-superman View the full article

Power: 140 hp / 160 hp / 180 hp / 200 hp. A brand new website is under construction. For a quick overview of the specifications, have a look at our leaflet. If you have some more time and you want to discover more technical features of the UL520i (180 hp) and UL520iS (200 hp), you can download the installation manual and the illustrated parts catalogue. The installation manual of the UL390i and UL390iS is also available. EDIT (27/12): Above manuals have been updated to the latest versions and following manuals are also available now: UL 390 Illustrated parts catalogue UL 390 Maintenance manual UL 390 Operating manual UL 520 Maintenance manual UL 520 Operating manual Obviously, the ULPower team will be happy to answer any further questions. By the way… if you wonder how the ULPower engines are made, this video lifts a corner of the veil: View the full article

We have created a small video about how ULPower aero engines are being built, going from design, production, assembly, testing, packaging to “ready-to-fly”. Have a look! Or view it on our youtube channel: A look behind the ULPower production site View the full article

Download the latest version of the installation manual for the UL520 engine here (PDF). Please keep in mind this is the latest draft (update April 19, 2013), some parts are still under construction. We will keep this file as up-to-date as possible. Once complete we’ll add it to the website. View the full article

Just saying: the December 2012 edition of EAA Experimenter featured a nice read about ULPower! View the full article

The last two years, our R&D staff did a huge job developing the new range of 6 cylinder engines. After designing the engines and shaping the first proof of concept back in 2011, they built the first prototype in Spring 2012. The last couple of months we received a lot of questions from people who wondered about the progress of the new engine range. We challenged their patience telling we were spending a lot of time testing the UL520 engines extensively. Now, the first batch of UL520i and UL520iS engines are nearly ready to be shipped to their new owners. But what exactly should you imagine at all the tests we’ve done. Well, it’s not a secret, we are happy to share the procedure and the results with you. The endurance tests followed the CS-E 440 norm. This is the report: Endurance Test conform CS-E 440 Engine: UL520i (6 cylinder, 180 hp) Propeller: Airmaster AP430CTF-SNR64ZN serial #612 Fuel: mogas 95 octane RON Date: August 2012 1. Configuration Engine is fixed on the trailer and equipped with a constant speed prop Airmaster (picture 1 in annex) The prop is set to a fixed pitch : full throttle = 2810 Rpm. 2. Logged parameter Following parameters are measured and continuously logged using program log works 3 (picture 2 in annex): - atmospheric pressure - voltage - air inlet temp - 4x CHT (cyl 1; cyl 2; cyl 4; cyl 5) - 4x EGT - fuel pressure - oil pressure - oil temperature - Rpm - Lambda - MAP - Throttle position 3. Unlogged parameters The torque is measured with a load cell “Metil + micra M” ( picture 3 in annex). However this is not logged. Experience showed that the read-out is not correct comparing tests on the dyno: because of vibrations and different explosions in the engine, the torque output is not constant. This creates a false read-out. However, the purpose of this test is to find out if during the 150 hr test, the output power from the engine remains constant. 4. Test procedure - conform CS-E 440 - during the test, several “engine stops” were generated to allow the “hot start” test - during the test, several times the engine run at idle (± 900 Rpm) for a moment to find out if the oil pressure stay above minimum - daily inspections: oil level wiring connections propeller fixing bolts torque safety facilities - daily report (loggings) and a written note - regular registration of the torque 5. Summary - during 18 days the UL520i ran for a total time of 145 Hr 30 min - total fuel consumption: 4.674,00 liter (mogas 95 octane RON) - number of cold starts: 36 - number of hot starts: 38 - total oil consumption: 0,3 liter - after the test (no adjustments between) all tappet clearance were within limits - except some “start up” problems with connections, sensors and a bad regulator, no repairs were necessary - engine torque (related to Rpm) stay ± constant during the whole test 6. Inspection After the test we disassembled the engine completely: - crankshaft and bearings: no abnormal use - camshaft and bearings: no abnormal use - cam followers and push rods: no abnormal use - con rods and bearings: no abnormal use - pistons and piston rings: no abnormal use - cylinders: no abnormal use - cylinder heads, valves, rocker arms: no abnormal use - oil pump and filter: no abnormal use 7. Conclusion - The UL520i passed successful the endurance test conform CS-E 440. - As during this test, we passed all possible Rpm settings, we can conclude that even the detonation test conform CS-E 360 is supposed to be successful. The results were logged on a daily basis. Any further questions, remarks, suggestions,…? Just let us know! View the full article

After our service bulletin 2012-01, we sent out a new alternator fan to all our customers in October. By now, everybody should have received it, either directly from ULPower or through your local dealer. If this is not the case, please contact us. We’ll make sure you’ll receive the replacement part free of charge. Best regards, The ULPower team View the full article

Pilot Magazine (UK) published a test report of the Zenith Zodiac CH650B powered by the UL350iS on May 24, 2012. Here are some excerpts from the article: “As the propeller blades dissolved into a shimmering blur, the exhaust sounded a pleasingly crisp bark of power. Flying is a visceral experience − the sight, feel and even the smell of an aircraft all combine to make aviation the immersive experience that it is, and sound plays an important part too. I’ve always admired the Rotax 912 series: its undoubted efficiency, excellent reliability and good power-to-weight ratio have ensured that it has been for many years the undisputed world champion of ultralight engines. However, while low noise is one of its virtues, the sound it puts out has never really appealed. In contrast, the eager growl of the ULPower 350iS tucked under the latest Zodiac’s cowling definitely grabs one’s attention. And of course, the fact that this engine produces thirty per cent more power than a 912S is no bad thing either! The impressive exhaust note hadn’t come as a total surprise. Even from the other side of the taxiway, I could clearly see that ‘Four Zulu Zulu’ was very different from any other Zodiac that I’d flown. Not only did it seem slightly taller, but the bulged cheeks of the cowling hinted that a more powerful engine lurked within. I’ve always been a firm believer in the old maxim “never fly a new type of engine in a new type of airframe” and, as the ULPower 350iS is one of the newest engines in the GA market, I was pleased to see it was housed in a fully developed light sport aircraft (LSA) with real pedigree; the Zenith Zodiac.” [...] “As you’d imagine, the type has evolved considerably over the last 28 years and there are a significant number of differences between an early 601 and the current 650B; the most significant one being the engine, so let’s start at the spinner. As mentioned earlier, the original aircraft was powered by a 116hp Lycoming O-235 and over the years probably a dozen different engine types have been tried, with different cylinder configurations, drive arrangements and cooling systems. With the ULPower engine the wheel has (sort of) turned full circle, as − just like the O-235 − it is a direct-drive, air-cooled flat-four. However, that’s where the similarities end. The 350iS is more powerful, yet smaller and lighter. It has electronically controlled multi-point fuel injection and ignition, as a 21st Century engine should. It is quite tightly cowled and, as there is only a small hatch for access to the oil dipstick, a more detailed pre-flight inspection requires the cowling to be removed, although this didn’t appear to be too onerous. It is fed from an integral welded aluminium fuel tank in each wing, with a combined capacity of 91 litres, and turns a two-blade, ground-adjustable Whirlwind prop.” [...] “Once again, I really liked the great rate of climb provided by the 130hp engine, and I think instructors will too. No more wheezing slowly up to altitude as if you’re riding an asthmatic albatross, this thing climbs like it means it!” [...] “At 5,000ft and 2,800rpm the 650’s TAS is around 126kt, but the motor is burning about 28lit/hr. A more comfortable rpm is 2,500, which gives a TAS of approximately 110kt, while the fuel flow drops to a much more respectable 19lit/hr. With full tanks, this makes the still-air range 450nm, with at least 30 minutes reserve.” Nice comments after all! You can read the full article here. View the full article

ULPower is proud to announce that the range of engines on offer is extended with 4 new types 6-cylinder engines, ranging from 140 hp to 200 hp. The installed weight of the UL520i and UL520iS is 108 kg [242 lb] and like the popular UL260 and UL350 line of engines the new engines are direct drive, horizontally opposed, air cooled, electronic ignition, multi-port fuel injection and FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control). The FADEC system controls the fuel/air ratio and ignition from start-up to shutdown so the engine is always operating at optimal performance thereby increasing power and economy while minimizing wear and tear and reducing pilot workload. The result is startling! Convince yourself by reading specifications below. All engines have following configuration: - 7 bearing crankshaft with thrust ball bearing - Direct drive - Air cooled - FADEC - Multipoint electronic fuel injection with automatic compensation for altitude and temperature - Redundant dual electronic ignition - High fuel efficiency - Excellent power to weight ratio These new engine models can be ordered now. We are proud to confirm the first orders for the UL520i and UL520iS are coming in. “I am pleased to announce the receipt of our first order for the new engine.” Said Robert Helms, General Manager of UL Power North America. “Renegade Light Sport plans to offer the UL520i at 180HP as an option on the beautiful Comet biplane which was previously powered by either 100 or 118HP engines.” “Several other manufacturers are considering the new engines.” Said Robert Helms. “The thrust to weight ratio is appealing to the designers of many aircraft. Whether you are focused on short take-off, high economy, or high speed, the UL520i & UL520iS offer incredible performance, reduced weight, advanced technology and are competitively priced with other engines of the same horsepower. We are also working with individual aircraft owners to develop firewall-forward kits for models not otherwise supported by their respective manufacturers.” * all prices ex-works; excl. 21% Belgian VAT, applicable to private EU end-users (individuals); our General Sales Terms & Conditions apply; prices subject to change without previous announcement. UPDATE 22 MARCH 2012: So far 4 UL520 engines are sold, less than 1 week after the announcement. These engines will equip following aircrafts: Click here to check our brand ne2-A5w leaflet! View the full article

UL Power, which introduced itself to the US market at the Sport Aviation Expo in 2006, will be showing and demonstrating engines and several factory-developed firewall-forward (FWF) installations in Sebring, FL, January 19-22, 2012. “We are particularly pleased to be showing our engines and our factory-developed firewall-forward installations in Sebring this January,” said Robert Helms, General Manager of UL Power North America LLC. “Cooperation with [FWF launch customer] Zenith Aircraft Company in developing a complete installation for their CH 650 has resulted in the first of several popular OEM applications. Multi-fuel capability and FADEC coordination, coupled with simple air cooling and direct drive should allow a lot more time in the air and less money spent on the ground.” The full firewall-forward kit includes everything builders need to install the engine in their Zenith airframe, including engine mount, oil cooler, fuel pumps, propeller and spinner, and fiberglass cowl. As a premier sponsor of this year’s Expo, UL Power will have excellent representation at our upcoming show, in addition to its featured appearance in the new CH 650A: UL Power engines will be on display in the lobbies of both the Chateau Elan hotel and the Sebring Regional Airport. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE Zenith Aircraft Company and UL Power Announce Availability of Firewall Forward Kit Zenith Aircraft Company and UL Power North America, LLC, are pleased to announce availability of the complete firewall forward kits for the CH 650 kit aircraft following the successful installation and testing of the 130-hp UL350iS powerplant in the sleek low-wing CH 650 cruiser.’ Under the sleek new fiberglass cowl the firewall-forward engine package includes the modern technology direct drive, air cooled, light weight and fuel efficient UL350iS aircraft engine. The 130-hp powerplant is a horizontally-opposed four-cylinder four-stroke air-cooled engine with FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control): multipoint electronic fuel injection with automatic altitude and temperature compensation. The full firewall-forward kit includes everything builders need to install the engine in their Zenith airframe, including engine mount, oil cooler, fuel pumps, propeller and spinner, and fiberglass cowl. Robert Helms, general manager of UL Power North America, said “The UL Power engines will propel Zenith aircraft to the next level with modern FADEC and unmatched fuel efficiency. We are very pleased to be working with Zenith Aircraft Company. Our complete product line ranging the UL260i at 97-HP to the UL350iS at 130-HP will be available in various Zenith kit aircraft models.” “We’ve been flying our factory demonstrator CH650 with the 130-hp UL350iS for a few months now and we’re extremely pleased with the performance and operation of this engine,” said Sebastien Heintz, president of Zenith Aircraft Company. “We plan to offer the same firewall-forward kit also to our STOL CH 750 customers, since the two designs share the same firewall.” In related news, UL Power North America is also pleased to announce the appointment of Vertical Performance Services as its service center: “As we continue our growth in North America it is critical that we have local service and support that is familiar with the modern technology embodied in the UL Power line of engines,” said Helms. “Vertical Performance has been working with FADEC systems in aircraft engines since 1986 and brings a wealth of experience to benefit customers across North America.” About Zenith Aircraft Company: Since 1992, Zenith Aircraft Company has been producing kits of the popular line of Chris Heintz two-seat all-metal aircraft designs, including the CH 650 low-wing cruiser and the high-wing STOL CH 750 light sport utility kit aircraft. The all-metal aircraft, which can be flown by Sport Pilots, can be built from complete kits (in as few as 350 hours), component buy-as-you-build kits, or entirely scratch-built from blueprints. A number of different engine choices are available to power the CH 650 or the high-wing CH 750, including the new UL Power engines. Details: www.zenithair.com About UL Power of North America, LLC: UL Power of North America, LLC is an independently owned and operated company with the exclusive distribution rights to the UL Power Aero Engines nv products in the United States and Canada. The new company is working with several American manufacturers to develop firewall-forward packages and installation support for its engine line in popular light aircraft, including the Zenith CH 650 and STOL CH 750, RV-12, Rans S-19, and the Just Aircraft Highlander. The UL Power engines are manufactured in Belgium (Europe) by ULPower Aero Engines nv, a company formed in 2006 solely to design and manufacture modern light aircraft engines, and backed by experienced technical partner companies. Learn more at www.ULPower.net View the full article