Any Small Chinese Aircraft Engines?

jnmeade

jnmeade

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Jim Meade
Given that the Chinese are building some pretty big unmanned aircraft, what are they using for engines? Rotax powers a number of UA as well as light aircraft. Are the Chinese building any similar engines? The cynic in me wonders if they've ripped off Rotax or something similar for their small engine needs. The opportunist in me wonders if their engines are any good and if they are available for experimental aircraft.
I'm obviously not talking about Continental or a certificated engine. I mean a purely Chinese build.
 
The Chinese "Rainbow" that was in the news yesterday looks like it is jet powered.

Have you seen something else that was piston powered?
 
There are quite a number of piston-powered Chinese UA per a web search, but I didn't find out much about the piston engines. There are 2 and 4 cycle, 2 and 4 cylinder, etc. Details tend to be sketchy.
 
Based on the quality of my $299 'Champion' brand generator, I would have no problem flying an Exp behind a chinese made engine.
 
Continental Motors is owned by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, which in turn is owned by the Chinese government.

Don't know if another Chinese aerospace company would buy motors from them, though.
 
NoHeat said:
Continental Motors is owned by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, which in turn is owned by the Chinese government..
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I can't speak to aircraft engines, but Chinese Honda motorcycle knockoffs, although functional, are of noticeably lower quality and have inferior fit and finish. I suspect if they are skipping on the outside, they are probably skipping on the inside as well, and the metallurgy.
 
Also can't speak to aircraft engines, but the Chinese knockoff motorcycle carbs are known to be of inferior quality. I'm not sure if that's instructive to the OP's point, though, because they're designed to be cheaper knockoffs, vs. perhaps a fully-Chinese built engine that isn't designed as a knockoff.
 
If I were them I'd be making Rotax 912 knockoff for 6k a copy. They just don't realize the size of the potential market. Not certain if I'd be the first happy bastard to fly behind one but maybe after a while.
 
Based on history, it seems to me the big worry for an aircraft engine is some mid-level manager would be under so much pressure to make quotas that they'd accept bad parts (think improperly heat treated crankshafts for example) and ship them. There's been several high profile cases of that sort of thing in Chinese products (not aircraft engines so far).
 
jsstevens said:
Based on history, it seems to me the big worry for an aircraft engine is some mid-level manager would be under so much pressure to make quotas that they'd accept bad parts (think improperly heat treated crankshafts for example) and ship them. There's been several high profile cases of that sort of thing in Chinese products (not aircraft engines so far).
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Runs of bad parts have happened to both Conti and Lycoming.
 
TRocket said:
The last thing I want to see on an aircraft engine in a plane that I am flying is "Made in China"
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I have a Chinese made tractor..... Jinma....and it says made in China. I can't even pronounce it but it starts every time.

Basically I bought it because the JD I wanted is a popular model for used tractors and I could not see buying a used tractor for a higher price than it sold for when it was brand new.
 
asechrest said:
Also can't speak to aircraft engines, but the Chinese knockoff motorcycle carbs are known to be of inferior quality. I'm not sure if that's instructive to the OP's point, though, because they're designed to be cheaper knockoffs, vs. perhaps a fully-Chinese built engine that isn't designed as a knockoff.
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I work with Chinese manufacturers on a regular basis.

There are Chinese companies that can hit just about any price or quality point desired. Very, very bad to very, very good.

It depends heavily on what company is chosen, and the oversight that is given. If you want a Chinese knockoff of someone else's product without investing in engineering, you often get garbage. If you oversee the project from the US, with minimal on-site engagement and lowest bidder requirements; poor quality will be returned.

Provide clear engineering requirements, technical and management oversight, and good quality requirements -- It is fully possible to get world-class product from China.
 
TRocket said:
The last thing I want to see on an aircraft engine in a plane that I am flying is "Made in China"
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I don't want to see it on my dog's food. They did a real good job with infant formula a while back, and with construction on schools, too. And their hot metal tech is just a few decades behind the times. They make a lot of steel (it's basically an employment service) but they don't make much speciality steel. . .
 
I can't even get a pair of made in china socks or boxers to last, aircraft/UAV engines? F' that!
 
TRocket said:
The last thing I want to see on an aircraft engine in a plane that I am flying is "Made in China"
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No worries. The Chinese know they can't build a successful engine, so buy foreign and install it on their crap.
 
In the midst of yet another Lycoming / Continental engine quality kurfuffle, I find this conversation somewhat amusing.
 
jnmeade said:
There are quite a number of piston-powered Chinese UA per a web search, but I didn't find out much about the piston engines. There are 2 and 4 cycle, 2 and 4 cylinder, etc. Details tend to be sketchy.
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I'm quite sure the reliability would be even sketchier.
 
Are these engines for small Chinese or small engines made in China?
 
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