Portfolio
Mark Kettering (co-owner of Aeromomentum Inc.)
- Studied at UMass Lowell BSEE and MSEE
- Studied at California Polytechnic State University MSAERO
- Studied and worked at Virginia Tech
- Worked at Harvard University
- Adjunct Professor, UMass Lowell
- Former Aerospace Engineer at NASA
- Former Lead Instructor at Calpoly
Lili Kettering (co-owner of Aeromomentum Inc.)
- Studied International Commerce at Irkutsk State University
- Worked at Dongfeng Aircraft Manufacture, LLC
- Worked at Manta Flight Systems Inc.
- Worked at Aeromomentum Inc.
Features
Our engines use 4 inline cylinders, precision cast aluminum block and head, steel cylinder sleeves, 4 valves per cylinder, single overhead cam, toothed belt cam drive, fixed valve timing, plenum tuned intake system, tuned tubular exhaust system, 2.588:1 ratio PSRU, direct crank driven gerotor (trochoid) oil pump, solid cast steel crank, forged connecting rods, Bosch FEDEC engine control system, dual coil ignition, sequential fuel injection, knock sensor, light weight 65 amp alternator, hemispherical combustion chamber,
Our PSRU uses an all gear design with the same TBO as our engines. The only service is periodic oil changes, no belts or other expendables. Our case in CNC machined from aerospace aluminum alloy billet. The gears and shafts are forged and finished to AGMA aerospace standards. Coupling the engine to the gear box is German made Guibo rubber dampening donut that also is designed to last to TBO. Our PSRU is designed for 4 cylinder engines up to 210 hp and utilizes oversize gears and oversize bearings for extreme durability and reliability. The propeller shaft is hollow allowing for mechanical propeller pitch adjustment. The hub is drilled for standard Rotax, high power Rotax and optional SAE 1 propellers.
Engineering
Both the AM13 and AM15 are fully engineered by a team of graduate aerospace engineers. We spent our time and money on creating the ultimate cost effective power plant for your aircraft and not a bunch of PR hogwash. We started with the most proven base engine and then engineered a robust but lightweight system around it using CAD and CAE like static and dynamic FEA analysis. From this point we have spent over a year testing both in the lab and more importantly in the real world. Only after exhaustive testing have we brought these outstanding engines to the light aircraft market.
Modern versus legacy technology
There is much debate on the merits of various technology in aircraft engines. We all tend to think of direct drive air cooled horizontally opposed engines with magnetos and carburetor or mechanical fuel injection as being the norm for legacy aircraft engines and this is true to a point. But the use of liquid cooling, 4 valves per cylinder, gear reduction and inline 4 cylinders are far from new. The famous Rolls-Royce Merlin of WWII fame used much of this “modern” technology also used in the MFS engines. I am sure that if the Rolls-Royce Merlin designers had modern reliable microprocessor based electronics they would also have utilized FEDEC engine management instead of magnetos and injection carburetors. The very first successful aircraft engine was an inline 4 cylinder with reduction drive. What we have done is taken a look at all of the technology from the past and present and decided on what provides the most total real world performance for the money.
Performance
Both the AM13 and AM15 are designed to be class leaders when it comes to performance. By performance we mean power, power to weight and specific fuel consumption. No one in the same power class has better overall performance. Some of the AM advantage is due to our light weight and high power but some is also due to our phenomenal 0.39 lb/hp/hr specific fuel consumption. Fuel adds weight and if you burn more fuel you need to carry more fuel. The AM engines save about 0.7 gal/hr over the Rotax 912 and this is 2.8 lbs/hr. Even with a short 2 hour trip this fuel advantage of the AM engines more than make up for the slight weight advantage of the Rotax 912.
In the Lycoming O-235 and IO-233 class we beat everyone with a class leading 117 hp, 0.62 lbs/hp and our fantastic 0.39 lb/hp/hr specific fuel consumption.
The bottom line is with the AM13 and AM15 you can fly faster, farther and carry more load than you can with any other engine you can buy today!
Reliability
We may be new to the light aircraft market but we are far from new to the G series engines. We have been using these engines in boats and airboats since 2008 and have installed hundreds. These boats have been delivered all over the world including the US, China, Brazil, Russia, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and many other countries. Many are used for tour and rental operations that use them hard and cannot tolerate down time. Only after years of experience with these G series engines have we developed our aircraft engines.
Affordability
The engine you chose has a major impact on what it costs you to fly. First is the cost to buy the engine and Aeromomentum is by far the leader with prices about half that of the competition. No one else even comes close to offering all new engines in this price range. The AM engines save you money right at the beginning.
Second is fuel consumption. Most similar size legacy aircraft engine have specific fuel consumptions 20% to 40% higher than our class leading 0.39 lbs/hp/hr. Even the Rotax 912 that was the former efficiency leader with 0.47 lbs/hp/hr burns 20% more fuel for the same power. The AM engines are on par with the newest $25,000 FEDEC Rotax 912iS. Add to this the ability to use lower cost auto fuel and the savings add up fast. The AM engines save you money every time you fly.
Third is overhaul cost. We offer full overhaul parts kit for the AM engines is just $1250 or we can perform the overhaul for you for just $2450. This is just a small fraction of the overhaul cost on a Lycoming, Continental or Rotax. AM engines keep saving you money.
With our low acquisition cost, low fuel burn and low overhaul cost the AM is by far the most affordable power solution to your light aircraft. Typical hourly cost (including fuel) is about $17 for the AM13. As a comparison the Rotax costs about $26/hr. Both are using $4/gal auto fuel. The savings are even greater with $6/gal avgas. Why pay more for less?