Corvair Aircraft Engines

Based near Jacksonville Florida, USA is another car engine conversion company run by William Wynne. They use a Convair car engine as the base for an aircraft application. This is a derated six cylinder air cooled engine perfectly adaptable to LSA and experimental type of aircraft. It is also a very good replacement for the O-200 and O-235 aircraft engines.

Those of you looking to build, maintain and fly their own engine, this is the one. There is a very active community and builder support available to look after any issue or question you might have while rebuilding or operating this powerplant.

Of course, complete engine packages are also available and they are test run and broken-in in the run stand. Although 90% of the engines are built by the owner and this will provide them all the skills and needed experience to maintain and service the engine themselves.

Convair Engine

The direct drive Corvair engine is an excellent choice for VFR sport aviation aircraft requiring a 100 hp to 120 hp engine. The Corvair engine is a horizontally opposed, six cylinder, air cooled, dual ignition - one spark plug per cylinder, direct drive power plant. General Motors produced 1.7 million Corvairs between 1960 and 1969. All of these high quality engines have hydraulic lifters, torsional vibration dampeners, full flow oil systems, spin on oil filters, and aluminum cases and cylinder heads.

Corvair engines have been powering experimental aircraft since 1960. Flying hundreds of hours, EAA members Bernie Pietenpol and Waldo Waterman demonstrated that the Corvair engine can be made into an excellent aircraft power plant.

Flying engines

Corvair engines have been successfully installed in the following aircraft: J3 Cub, Pietenpol Air Camper, Pietenpol Sky Scout, Breezy, Tailwind, KR2, VP2, Sonerai II, Volmer Sportsman, Christavia Mark I, Boredom Fighter, Fisher Horizon, Corben Junior Ace, Nieuport 12, Skycoupe, Sonex, Benson Gyrocopter and Davis DA2.

You can say that any aircraft with a need for 65 - 120 horsepower are prime candidates for this engine.

Engine Models

The original engine was factory rated for a power output of 180 hp at 5500 RPM. For aviation purposes it has been derated to ensure reliability and at the same time there is no need for a gearbox. Parts for this engine have been in production for over 50 years, most engine are built with new parts except for the case, oil housing and cylinder head casings.

If you seek a low maintenance, proven and reliable engine on which you wish to become your own mechanic and master, then this is the engine you have been looking for.

Company information

William Wynne can be contacted for more information at the following addresses:

Text and images used with permission (pending) of FlyCorvair.

written by EAI.