Jump to content

Rotec Engineering

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ahunt (talk | contribs) at 16:27, 21 February 2015 (Aircraft: extra letter removed). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Rotec Engineering
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryAerospace
Foundedearly 1980s
Defunctafter 1984
FateOut of business
Headquarters
ProductsKit aircraft

Rotec Engineering was an American aircraft manufacturer of the 1980s. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of ultralight aircraft in the form of kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly aircraft under the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules.[1][2]

The company's most successful line was the Rotec Rally that was designed by Bill Adaska as a motor glider and praised by reviewers for its sound engineering and low price. The Rally series were produced in several models in large numbers, including the Rally 2, 2B, Sport, 3 and were continually improved through the early 1980s. The Rally line established the company one of the most successful ultralight manufacturing concerns of that period.[1][2]

The follow-on Rotec Panther was initially aimed at the US Experimental - Amateur-built category, but later lightened by giving it a smaller cockpit fairing to give it an empty weight of 250 lb (113 kg), allowing it to be flown as a US FAR 103 Ultralight.[1]

The company seems to have gone out of business after the 1984 introduction of the Panther.[1]

Aircraft

Summary of aircraft built by Rotec Engineering
Model name First flight Number built Type
Rotec Rally early 1980s Single seat ultralight aircraft
Rotec Panther 1984 Single seat kit aircraft

References

  1. ^ a b c d Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, pages E-30 - E-31. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  2. ^ a b Virtual Ultralight Museum (n.d.). "Rally Sport". Retrieved 21 February 2015.