Four and Six Cylinder Engines, Specific Serial Numbers

Australian company Jabiru Aircraft has certified that its Jabiru 2200 and 3300 engines (four- and six-cylinder respectively) meet the ASTM consensus standard for Light Sport Aircraft engines.

That standard is officially known as ASTM Standard F2339-04, Standard Practice for Design and Manufacture of Reciprocating Spark Ignition Engines for Light Sport Aircraft. This manufacturer certification means that Jabiru engines can be used in similarly manufacturer-certified Special Light Sport aircraft.

This new kind of certification differs from full FAA certification, as there are limits on the Light Sport Aircraft for which this certification is intended. While the certification is new, the engines are not. Jabiru has sold them for some years to homebuilders, for which no certification is required.

Jabiru notes that only certain Jabiru serial numbers of the engines are involved, and they must be installed, operated and maintained in accordance with Jabiru's official documents.

The Light Sport legal motors are Jabiru 2200A,from S/N 22A1845 up, and Jabiru 3300A, from S/N 33A722 and up.

The Jabiru 2200 is a four-stroke boxer engine producing 85 horsepower. Jabiru boasts that it has the same weight as the popular Rotax 582 2-stroke.  The 3300 is a six-cylinder version that's billed at 120HP, with 107 HP continuous.

All Jabiru engines are direct-drive, avgas-burning engines designed from the beginning as aircraft engines. The components of a Jabiru engine are CNC machined from billet steel and aluminum alloy. Only the oil sump is a casting. This mode of manufacture not only produces high-quality, consistent parts, but it enables short-run production while keeping costs reasonable.

The company name, which almost rhymes with Kangaroo, might sound a little foreign to Americans. It actually "sounds Australian." Well, it probably should; it's actually the name of a black and white stork native to Australia.

Jabiru's eight-cylinder engine, the 180 HP Jabiru 5100A, is not available with ASTM Standard certification; it probably makes too much power. It is still in production for the experimental market.

Jabiru is working on Special Light Sport Aircraft certification for certain two seat Jabiru aircraft. That may make these machines, which have long been sold factory-built under a similar regulation in Australia, available as completed aircraft to US Sport Pilots.

FMI: www.jabiru.net.au, www.usjabiru.com, www.suncoastjabiru.com, www.jabirupacific.com