Continental O-200
Encyclopedia
The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder
, direct-drive aircraft engine
s of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).
Built by Continental Motors these engines are used in many light aircraft designs of the United States, including the early Piper PA-18 Super Cub, the Champion 7EC, the Alon Aircoupe, and the Cessna 150
.
Though the C90 was superseded by the O-200, and many of the designs utilizing the O-200 had gone out of production by 1980, with the 2004 publication of the United States Federal Aviation Administration light-sport aircraft
regulations came a resurgence in demand for the O-200.
Many of the designs powered by the C90 are upgraded variants of earlier A-65 powered designs, such as the Piper J-3 Cub
and PA-11 Cub Special, Aeronca 7AC, and Luscombe 8
A. The engine was developed from the earlier O-190
by increasing the stroke inch.
This engine family is considered to be dependable, according to both industry publications and the FAA.
In a cooperative venture, Rolls-Royce
produced these same designs in England, under separate certification, with model designations beginning RR, e.g. the Rolls-Royce RR C90-12FH is the equivalent of the Continental C90-12FH; the Rolls-Royce versions are "directly interchangeable with the equivalent models manufactured by Continental." The Rolls-Royce O-200-A powers the Beagle B.121 Pup 100
, the Bölkow BO 208 C Junior, the Avions Robin DR 220
, and the Morane-Saulnier MS-880.
All versions of the C90 and O-200 are Four-stroke
reciprocating engine
s and are all similar in size, displacement and weight. These engines are typically fitted with an updraft carburetor
, though the C90-8FJ, -12FJ, and -14FJ are equipped with fuel injection
systems. They utilize a redundant ignition system
requiring no external power, driving two magneto
s, each of which fires one spark plug
per cylinder
. Each cylinder has one intake
valve
and one exhaust
valve, pushrod-activated.
Continental's recommended time between overhaul
(TBO) for these engines is 1,800 hours of operation or 12 years in service, whichever is reached first. The standard certification for the C90 and O-200 specifies Avgas 80/87 as the minimum fuel grade. Both are eligible for operation on automobile gasoline on the basis of Supplemental Type Certificate
s.
O-200
and liquid cooling
, powered the 1986 non-stop, non-refueled global circumnavigation flight of the Rutan Voyager. The 110-horsepower (82 kW) IOL-200, also referred to as the Voyager 200, was the rear engine and—unlike the forward engine, another modified engine, a Continental O-240
—ran throughout the entire 9-day flight save for a four-minute shutdown due to a fuel problem.
Formula One racer Sharp Nemesis
, designed and flown by Jon Sharp, was powered by a 'stock' O-200. Between 1991 and 1999, the plane won 45 of the 48 events in which it was entered, as well as winning three Louis Blèriot medals, four Pulitzer Trophies, and setting 16 speed records in its class. In one of those records, Nemesis was clocked at over 290 mph (467 km/h). By contrast, the O-200 powered Legend Cub cruises at 95 mph (152.9 kp/h).
Flat-4
A flat-4 or horizontally opposed-4 is a flat engine with four cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of two cylinders on each side of a central crankcase...
, direct-drive aircraft engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
s of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).
Built by Continental Motors these engines are used in many light aircraft designs of the United States, including the early Piper PA-18 Super Cub, the Champion 7EC, the Alon Aircoupe, and the Cessna 150
Cessna 150
The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane, that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use.The Cessna 150 is the seventh most produced civilian plane ever, with 23,839 aircraft produced...
.
Though the C90 was superseded by the O-200, and many of the designs utilizing the O-200 had gone out of production by 1980, with the 2004 publication of the United States Federal Aviation Administration light-sport aircraft
Light-sport Aircraft
A Light-sport aircraft, also known as light sport aircraft or LSA, is a small aircraft that is simple to fly and which meets certain regulations set by a National aviation authority restricting weight and performance...
regulations came a resurgence in demand for the O-200.
Design and development
The C90 was introduced in 1947 as a follow-on to the A-65, which had been in production since 1939.Many of the designs powered by the C90 are upgraded variants of earlier A-65 powered designs, such as the Piper J-3 Cub
Piper J-3
The Piper J-3 Cub is a small, simple, light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. With tandem seating, it was intended for flight training but became one of the most popular and best-known light aircraft of all time...
and PA-11 Cub Special, Aeronca 7AC, and Luscombe 8
Luscombe 8
The Luscombe 8 is a series of high wing, side-by-side seating, conventional geared monoplanes designed in 1937 and built by Luscombe Aircraft.-Background:...
A. The engine was developed from the earlier O-190
Continental O-190
|-See also:-References:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens: Wellingborough.* Erickson, Jack. ...
by increasing the stroke inch.
This engine family is considered to be dependable, according to both industry publications and the FAA.
In a cooperative venture, Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
produced these same designs in England, under separate certification, with model designations beginning RR, e.g. the Rolls-Royce RR C90-12FH is the equivalent of the Continental C90-12FH; the Rolls-Royce versions are "directly interchangeable with the equivalent models manufactured by Continental." The Rolls-Royce O-200-A powers the Beagle B.121 Pup 100
Beagle Pup
|-Specifications :-See also:*PA-28...
, the Bölkow BO 208 C Junior, the Avions Robin DR 220
Robin DR.200
-See also:...
, and the Morane-Saulnier MS-880.
All versions of the C90 and O-200 are Four-stroke
Four-stroke cycle
A four-stroke engine, also known as four-cycle, is an internal combustion engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—during two separate revolutions of the engine's crankshaft, and one single thermodynamic cycle.There are two...
reciprocating engine
Reciprocating engine
A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common features of all types...
s and are all similar in size, displacement and weight. These engines are typically fitted with an updraft carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, though the C90-8FJ, -12FJ, and -14FJ are equipped with fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
systems. They utilize a redundant ignition system
Ignition system
An ignition system is a system for igniting a fuel-air mixture. Ignition systems are well known in the field of internal combustion engines such as those used in petrol engines used to power the majority of motor vehicles, but they are also used in many other applications such as in oil-fired and...
requiring no external power, driving two magneto
Magneto (electrical)
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce alternating current.Magnetos adapted to produce pulses of high voltage are used in the ignition systems of some gasoline-powered internal combustion engines to provide power to the spark plugs...
s, each of which fires one spark plug
Spark plug
A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed fuels such as aerosol, gasoline, ethanol, and liquefied petroleum gas by means of an electric spark.Spark plugs have an insulated central electrode which is connected by...
per cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
. Each cylinder has one intake
Intake
An intake , or especially for aircraft inlet, is an air intake for an engine. Because the modern internal combustion engine is in essence a powerful air pump, like the exhaust system on an engine, the intake must be carefully engineered and tuned to provide the greatest efficiency and power...
valve
Poppet valve
A poppet valve is a valve consisting of a hole, usually round or oval, and a tapered plug, usually a disk shape on the end of a shaft also called a valve stem. The shaft guides the plug portion by sliding through a valve guide...
and one exhaust
Exhaust system
An exhaust system is usually tubing used to guide reaction exhaust gases away from a controlled combustion inside an engine or stove. The entire system conveys burnt gases from the engine and includes one or more exhaust pipes...
valve, pushrod-activated.
Continental's recommended time between overhaul
Time between overhaul
One important measure of an aircraft engine's overall economics is how often it has to be overhauled, the so-called time between overhaul, typically seen as TBO or TBOH....
(TBO) for these engines is 1,800 hours of operation or 12 years in service, whichever is reached first. The standard certification for the C90 and O-200 specifies Avgas 80/87 as the minimum fuel grade. Both are eligible for operation on automobile gasoline on the basis of Supplemental Type Certificate
Supplemental Type Certificate
A Supplemental Type Certificate is an FAA approved major modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller. As it adds to the existing type certificate, it is deemed 'supplemental'.-Purpose:...
s.
Variants
C90- While the C90 is approved for takeoff power of 95 horsepower (71 kW) for 5 minutes, the designation derives from its continuous power rating of 90 hp (67 kW). As noted above, certain models of the C90 replace the usual carburetor with a fuel injection system. In addition, there are models which provide for the installation of a controllable pitch propellerControllable pitch propellerA controllable pitch propeller or variable pitch propeller is a type of propeller with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change their pitch...
and one, the C90-12FP, designed for pusherPusher configurationIn a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
installation. While slightly less horsepower than the O200, many floatplane operators prefer the performance of the C90 over the O200, due to its higher torque at lower rpm. This is primarily due to the C90's camshaft design. The C90 is alo known by its military designation of O-205.
O-200
- The O-200 is an updated and upgraded version of the engine, achieving increased power of 100 hp (75 kW) as a result of higher maximum rpm. The standard and most common model of the engine is the O-200-A; the -B model is designed for pusher installation, the -C model provides for the installation of a controllable pitch propeller, and the -D model is a lightweight model designed for Light Sport aircraft.
Operational history
An engine designated the IOL-200, an O-200 variant modified with fuel injectionFuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
and liquid cooling
Engine cooling
Internal combustion engine cooling refers to the cooling of an internal combustion engine, typically using either air or a liquid.- Overview :...
, powered the 1986 non-stop, non-refueled global circumnavigation flight of the Rutan Voyager. The 110-horsepower (82 kW) IOL-200, also referred to as the Voyager 200, was the rear engine and—unlike the forward engine, another modified engine, a Continental O-240
Continental O-240
-Bibliography:*Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
—ran throughout the entire 9-day flight save for a four-minute shutdown due to a fuel problem.
Formula One racer Sharp Nemesis
Sharp Nemesis
|- More Specifications :* Fuel capacity: 5 US gal* Stall speed: 90 Kias* G-Loading limits: +6, -4* Cabin height: 35 in...
, designed and flown by Jon Sharp, was powered by a 'stock' O-200. Between 1991 and 1999, the plane won 45 of the 48 events in which it was entered, as well as winning three Louis Blèriot medals, four Pulitzer Trophies, and setting 16 speed records in its class. In one of those records, Nemesis was clocked at over 290 mph (467 km/h). By contrast, the O-200 powered Legend Cub cruises at 95 mph (152.9 kp/h).
Applications
- Aeronca Champion 7ECAeronca ChampionThe Aeronca Model 7 Champion, more commonly known as the Champ, is a single-engine, two-seat, fixed conventional gear airplane. Designed for flight training and personal use, it entered production in the United States in 1945....
- AMD ZodiacAMD ZodiacThe Zodiac is a family of Canadian all-metal, two-seat, fixed landing gear airplanes that first flew in 1984. The aircraft have been produced as kits and completed aircraft by Zenair in Canada and Zenith Aircraft Company in the USA....
- Cessna 150Cessna 150The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane, that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use.The Cessna 150 is the seventh most produced civilian plane ever, with 23,839 aircraft produced...
- Cessna 162 Skycatcher
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