Bringing Back The Round Cowl…

There is just something about a radial engine. They harken back to what many call aviation's "Golden Age" of classic airplanes and barnstorming.

Now, the radial engine is making something of a resurgence, thanks to Rotec Aerosport, which had several engines and airplanes on display at Sun 'n Fun in April, including a Vans RV-8 with a round cowl.

Paul Chernikeeff, Founder and Director of Rotec Aerosport, told ANN new editor Tom Patton that the company didn't start with much of a business plan. "We though radial engines are cool, and if we build one small and compact enough, people will use it." And that has turned out to be the case.

Chernikeeff said the appeal is largely aesthetic. Radial engines just look cool. They have similar performance to an in-line engine, but people are drawn to the lines of the aircraft.

The Rotec is built entirely for the experimental market. Chernikeeff said that there are normally very few changes that need to be made to an airframe to install a radial engine, and those are almost entirely cosmetic. The company has no plans to venture into the certified market, focusing on giving experimental aircraft pilots an alternative engine choice that will turn heads on the ramp.

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