BRP'S contest: The oldest certified Rotax aircraft engine still in operation worldwide was found

GUNSKIRCHEN, Austria, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - Last year, BRP's Rotax brand celebrated 40 years of Rotax aircraft engines and launched a contest that ended on December 31, 2015 to find the oldest certified Rotax aircraft engine in operation.

The contest winner was Kenneth Gates from Colorado, U.S.A., who owns a N351HK Super Dimona equipped with a Rotax 912 A certified engine. His aircraft engine with the serial number 36351 was produced in 1991 and is still in operation. Each participant had to provide a copy of the log book and latest proof of maintenance as well as personal contact information to his nearest authorized Rotax aircraft engine distributor.

The owner of the oldest active certified Rotax aircraft engine was invited to visit the Rotax factory in Gunskirchen, Austria where over 175,000 of the well-known Rotax aircraft engines have been developed and produced. The invitation included the travel expenses for two, two nights in a 4-star hotel, a tour of the Rotax facility and a welcome package.

"We were very impressed by the efficient processes used at the Rotax factory and the customer oriented attitude displayed by the management. Everyone is clearly very excited about continuous improvement and manufacturing the best products. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the people and places of the Wels/Gunskirchen area," said Kenneth Gates, who retired from the US Air Force after a 25 years career and currently works as a schoolteacher in Colorado, U.S.A.

"It was a pleasure to welcome in Austria the contest winner with his wife and to show them the place where their own aircraft engine was produced. Moreover, they did not only visit the aircraft engines production, they also were among the first to see the brand new manufacturing area installed recently," said Thomas Uhr, vice-president BRP-Powertrain and general manger BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG. In the new manufacturing area, the company produces parts for all its different types of Rotax engines: aircrafts, karts, snowmobiles, watercrafts, ATVs, 3-wheel and side-by-side vehicles.

With more than 175,000 engines sold in 40 years, Rotax aircraft engines outperform the light sport and ultra-light aircraft market. With 19 authorized distributors and a network of more than 220 points of sale and repair centres supporting customers worldwide, BRP supplies engines to a majority of all aircraft manufacturers in its segment. 

There are approximately 27,000 active 4-stroke and 13,000 active 2-stroke Rotax aircraft engines – certified and uncertified – in the fleet.

About BRP-Rotax
BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of BRP Inc. in Gunskirchen, Austria is a leader in the development and production of innovative 4- and 2-stroke high performance Rotax engines for BRP products such as Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am all-terrain, side-by-side vehicles and Can-Am Spyder lineup as well for motorcycles, karts, ultra-light and light aircraft. In the last 50 years, the company has developed more than 350 engine models for recreational vehicles and produced over 7 million engines.
www.rotax.com 
www.flyrotax.com

About BRP
BRP (TSX:DOO) is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of powersports vehicles and propulsion systems. Its portfolio includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles, Can-Am Spyder roadsters, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft. BRP supports its line of products with a dedicated parts, accessories and clothing business. With annual sales of over CA$3.8 billion from over 100 countries, the Company employs approximately 7,900 people worldwide.
www.brp.com 
@BRPnews

Ski-Doo, Lynx, Sea-Doo, Evinrude, Rotax, Can-Am, Spyder and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE BRP

Image with caption: "Rotax Aircraft Contest Winner. © 2016 BRP (CNW Group/BRP)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160621_C3577_PHOTO_EN_718651.jpg

For Information : Magali Valence, BRP Corporate Communications, Tel: [phone], [email protected]; About the product: Alexandra Reisinger, Marketing & Communications, Rotax Aircraft Engines, Tel: [phone], [email protected]