UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:04 pm
by Andy Walker
Here’s another potential alternative engine for the Sonex/Waiex/Xenos, the UL Power UL260iSA:
http://www.ulpower.com/engines/ul260iSA/index.html
It’s a real aircraft engine with dual ignition, air cooling, and a horizontally opposed design with oil pickup designed with ability to fly inverted. 107hp continuous at 3300rpm at a weight of 160-165lb puts it right in the Jabiru 3300 ballpark. Here are some of the factory features of the UL Power engines:
Modern Technology 4 stroke, air cooled, 4 cylinder opposed engine
Dual (redundant) electronic spark ignition (variable timing)
Multipoint electronic fuel injection with automatic altitude and temperature compensation
Electronic RPM limiter
Direct propeller drive
Wet sump forced lubrication with integrated pressure regulator
5 bearing crankshaft with thrust ball bearing
Ram air cooled cylinders and cylinder heads
High fuel efficiency
No carburettor icing problems
Excellent power to weight ratio
Electric fuel pump and pressure regulator to eliminate vapor lock and facilitate starting even under adverse conditions
I have not looked at the dimensions relative to the existing Sonex/Waiex/Xenos engines, so I’m not sure how well the current cowls might work. But this looks like a contender on paper. The only downside is at current exchange rates the price comes to about $23,600, which makes it a LOT more expensive than a Jab 3300.
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:51 pm
by uteboy
Here an interesting article on that engine when installed in a Twister.
http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co. … le_mar.pdf
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:54 pm
by Mike53
Great writeup and though it would obviously fit quit nicely on the Onex, as Andy pointed out the price is out of my league. 
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:04 pm
by sonex892
John Davis of American Sonex assoc fame installed one of these in his Sonex. Should be able to find photos of the cowl and install etc on their website. On a not so good note, I read somewhere he did crash his Sonex with this engine and has since repaired the plane and re engined again with a jab3300. I dont know the details of the crash
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:36 pm
by Mike53
Here it is- http://aircrashed.com/cause/cERA09CA162.shtml
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:33 am
by Andy Walker
Mike53 wrote:Here it is- http://aircrashed.com/cause/cERA09CA162.shtml
Hmm…that seems like builder error (ECU on wrong side of firewall, got too hot).
I didn’t like that half that Twister article is devoted to bashing the Jabiru motors.
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:26 pm
by uteboy
I didn’t like that half that Twister article is devoted to bashing the Jabiru motors.
Yes, sounds like some history there…probably something to do with cricket.
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 11:02 am
by Mike53
Andy Walker wrote:Here’s another potential alternative engine for the Sonex/Waiex/Xenos, the UL Power UL260iSA:
http://www.ulpower.com/engines/ul260iSA/index.html
It’s a real aircraft engine with dual ignition, air cooling, and a horizontally opposed design with oil pickup designed with ability to fly inverted. 107hp continuous at 3300rpm at a weight of 160-165lb puts it right in the Jabiru 3300 ballpark. Here are some of the factory features of the UL Power engines:
Modern Technology 4 stroke, air cooled, 4 cylinder opposed engine
Dual (redundant) electronic spark ignition (variable timing)
Multipoint electronic fuel injection with automatic altitude and temperature compensation
Electronic RPM limiter
Direct propeller drive
Wet sump forced lubrication with integrated pressure regulator
5 bearing crankshaft with thrust ball bearing
Ram air cooled cylinders and cylinder heads
High fuel efficiency
No carburettor icing problems
Excellent power to weight ratio
Electric fuel pump and pressure regulator to eliminate vapor lock and facilitate starting even under adverse conditionsI have not looked at the dimensions relative to the existing Sonex/Waiex/Xenos engines, so I’m not sure how well the current cowls might work. But this looks like a contender on paper. The only downside is at current exchange rates the price comes to about $23,600, which makes it a LOT more expensive than a Jab 3300.
I paid a visit to UL Power and was pleasantly surprised to find the prices of the UL260iS right about the same as the Jab 3300 and the 97HP UL260i came in at $17290 us as of feb./12.
So all I need to do is convince my wife that for a measley $10000 more I can add 17HP to my Onex 
http://www.ulpower.net/prices-us.html
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:28 pm
by kmacht
So if it is about the same price as a 3300 whats the advantage? Isn’t the 3300 120hp vs 97hp for the UL? What am I missing?
Keith
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:42 am
by Mike53
kmacht wrote:So if it is about the same price as a 3300 whats the advantage? Isn’t the 3300 120hp vs 97hp for the UL? What am I missing?
Keith
My bad.The UL engine for comparison is the UL350i at 118hp.
Jab3300-----$19,900 180lbs add the liquid cooling jacket for an additional $3500 + weight penalty? aprox. for a total $23,400
UL350i----- $22,150 172.8 lbs,Full FADEC
Bottom line the Jab without the cooling jacket comes in @$2250 less .For myself I would choose the UL power for my Onex.If I could afford the Jab I would find the extra $2250 to buy the UL as in my opinion when you compare them totally the UL comes out ahead.
I will watch the Euro closely as the price could go down farther yet what with all the problems it is having right now.
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 4:32 am
by jcfremy
Hello
I am Jean Claude from France
I have installed an ULpower UL260i on my sonex TD
I cruise at 135 mph and top speed is 150 mph and reach 1300 feet/mn
Consomption is about 4,5 gph
I logged 70 nice hours on it
Best regards from Paris
UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:30 am
by Sonex1517
Welcome to the group Jean Claude!
Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Tails and Wings complete - finishing fuselage.
N1517S reserved
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 1:52 pm
by MichaelFarley56
Hello Jean Claude! As Robbie has said, welcome to the group!
Thank you for sharing information on your Sonex. Do you have any pictures of your airplane and engine combination? I think the UL is a very neat looking engine and could see it as an excellent option for the Sonex airframe.
Thanks again!
UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 3:02 pm
by Sonex1517
I put his photos here
http://sonexbuildersandpilotsfoundation.zenfolio.com/p698068276
Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Tails and Wings complete - finishing fuselage.
N1517S reserved
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 3:40 pm
by jcfremy
Thank you Robbie I was fighting with picasa 
if more détails are wished I can make more pictures
Best regards from Paris
Jean claude
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 5:26 pm
by Sonex Foundation
More pictures!
Robbie
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:05 pm
by tonyr
Great photos Jean… where can I get a ground crew like yours???
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 6:09 am
by jcfremy
tonyr wrote:Great photos Jean… where can I get a ground crew like yours???
You just have to stick a nice Toon on the fuselage (first level reading please)
By the way we had a small fly in on my airfield last week and there were some “pom pom” girls taking profit to make nice pictures in front of aircrafts
We were ok for that
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 7:11 am
by jcfremy
Dear Sonex enthousiasts
Some explanations about my project to install a UL Power UL260i (97 cv) on a Sonex TD
My project was born 3 uears ago from a kind of wreck taking dust and mud at the far end of my hangar
It was a Sonex equiped with a old Jabiru 2200; Felt in love with this design I bought it and had in mind to refurbish completely it and mount a brand new, up to date, engine, I liked the idea of injection, without drive and water coolant design
The UL power mounting match perfectly with the Jabiru engine brackets, so it was very easy to swap them
The Jab was holding a lead weight about 15 lbs for having a correct weight balance, so installing the new heavier engine but without the added weight gave the same W/B
The tasks were to rebuilt the fuel line with the feed back to the tank, to totally redesign the electric circuitry because, the ECU, ignition and Pumps need a perfect power supply , to built a new instrument panel and to do a big maintenance on the frame and commands
AND the main task was to modify the engine cowling that took me almost the same time than the previous listed tasks…the first default or amateur is to be a bit too much optimistic …
The engine has bigger (by far) head fins than the Jabiru one that insure a goog running temps but also a pain in… to integrate under a cowling that would be nice to observe
I choosen to install a pair of ram air boxes to be sure that, what ever the quality of my cowler, the engine will be constantly cooled
I modified the sonex cowling by sticking the right and left side and cutted it to have acces by the top and having then the possibility to operate a good checking on the tarmac with reasonable efforts to play with cowling parts
I intalled in a first time the oil cooler along the engine left side and was ducted with a Naca with poor efficiency so I moved it to the front of the engine and modified the cowling with a kind of mouth that is much more effincient but less pretty
Actually CHT’s are 110 to 120°C, EGT’s are 780 to 810°c and oil is 85 -95 °C what ever the external condition (tested close to 30°c on ground) and even in climb
I firstly installed an adjustable two blades (59"x51") carbon propeller that permits to cruise at 135mph@2900-3000 rpm with a top speed at 150mph @3300 rpm (20°c and 1500ft fligh test conditions) the climb rate was about 1000-1100 ft/mn; nevertheless I espected a take off running better than 600ft so I ordered a dedicated wooden two blades (58"x50") with an increase of the climb rate about 1300’/mn and shortened run for take off by 10-15% and small losses in speeds, but am not so enjoyed by this one and the engine doesn’t likes too much light propeller
With the first prop I did a country tour in summer with an average fuel flow about 4 to 4.5 g/hour including take off, climbings, cruise and so on
I have (only) 70 logged since new, it starts like a car, run smoothly with a reasonable sound level (my friends said), I fill it with MOGAS 95 or 98 and sometime AVGAS 100LL
The ULPower members are nice and carefull to your questions
The price is not really competitive to Rotax
Until now I am satisfyied by this choice
Have good and safe flights
Jean CLaude
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 2:36 am
by WaiexN143NM
Avweb had an article on kaolin aviation in GA. Will be developing a FWF package for the UL power motors 4 cyl models for the sonex/ waiex/xenos. Sounds very interesting. Not cheap buy quality and features of the UL motors are outstanding. Let’s keep an eye on this option. Anyone else thinking about
putting in a UL engine?
waiexN143NM
Michael Radtke
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 2:18 pm
by sonex1678
I am also considering the 260IS, or even the d-motor (if I could ever find some info from people who have previously or are currently using the engine…)–with the turbo aerovee as the fall back if the others don’t pan out or if cost gets too prohibitive. Have about 6 months until I have to decide, so hopefully there will be more information available before then…my understanding from both companies is that there are several Sonex (different models) builders who are currently installing the engines, but are not yet complete.
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 1:28 am
by mike20sm
A new article came out about this engine, and it really looks like a winning option for the Sonex, if one could get over the price.
http://www.kitplanes.com/issues/32_13/builder_spotlight/New-Old-Aero-Engine-ULPower_21436-1.html
and if this company comes out with a nice firewall forward package that would be really cool.
http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12074580/kaolin-aviation-to-offer-fwf-kits-for-ulpower
Re: UL Power UL260iSA
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 11:28 am
by thomasjones42
Price has come down quite a bit in the last year or so as the Euro has lost value against the dollar.