Continental O-200

The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).<ref name="TCDS E-252">Federal Aviation Administration, Type certificate data sheet no. E-252 Template:Webarchive. Revision 34. (27 June 2013)</ref>

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,<ref name="AS 1A2">Aircraft specification no. 1A2. Revision 37. (Sep. 4, 1996.) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref> the Champion 7EC,<ref name="AS A-759">Aircraft specification no. A-759. Revision 67. (Jun. 3, 2005.) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref> the Alon Aircoupe,<ref name="TCDS A-787">Type certificate date sheet no. A-787. Revision 33. (Jul. 14, 2005.) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref> and the Cessna 150.<ref name="TCDS 3A19">Type certificate data sheet no. 3A19. Revision 44. (Mar. 31, 2003) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref>

Though the C90 was superseded by the O-200, and many of the designs utilizing the O-200 had gone out of production by 1980, with the 2004 publication of the United States Federal Aviation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<ref name="LSA">Federal Register. Vol. 69, No. 143 (Jul. 27, 2004), pp. 44772-44882. Federal Aviation Administration, 14 CFR Parts 1, 21, et al., "Certification of aircraft and airmen for the operation of light-sport aircraft;" Final rule.</ref> came a resurgence in demand for the O-200.

Design and development

The C90 was introduced in 1947 as a development from the earlier O-190 series (C75/C85) by increasing the stroke Template:Frac inch, which in turn is an enlarged bore upgrade of the O-170 series (A50/A65/A75/A80) which had been in production since 1939.<ref name="Aerofiles">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TCM Timeline">Template:Cite web</ref> Many of the designs powered by the C90 are upgraded variants of earlier A65 powered designs, such as the Piper J-3 Cub and PA-11 Cub Special,<ref name="AS A-691">Aircraft specification no. A-691. Revision 32. (Oct. 1, 1997.) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref> Aeronca 7AC,<ref name="AS A-759" /> and Luscombe 8A.<ref name="AS A-694">Aircraft specification no. A-694. Revision 23. (Jul. 8, 1993.) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref>

This engine family is considered to be dependable, according to both industry publications and the FAA.<ref name="LPM">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="SAIB">Special airworthiness information bulletin no. NE-03-45. (Jun. 27, 2003.) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Certification Service.</ref>

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."<ref name="TCDS E3IN">Type certificate data sheet no. E3IN. Revision 3. (Jan. 16, 1968) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref> The Rolls-Royce O-200-A powers the Beagle Pup Series 1,<ref name="TCDS A22EU">Type certificate data sheet no. A22EU. Revision 3. (Jun. 19, 1979) Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.</ref> the Rollason Condor, the Bölkow Bo 208 C Junior,<ref name="LBA List4">List 4: Propeller-driven aeroplanes not exceeding 8618 kg MTOM (including self-launching powered sailplanes. (Jun. 15, 2006) Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Office of Civil Aviation). Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs. Germany.</ref> the Avions Robin DR 220,<ref name="LBA List4"/> the Morane-Saulnier MS-880,<ref name="LBA List4"/> plus the Victa Airtourer 100<ref name="LBA List4"/> and the Reims F150 (a version of the Cessna 150 license-built in France by Reims Aviation).

All versions of the C90 and O-200 are four-stroke reciprocating engines and are all similar in size, displacement and weight. The crankcase is splitted in two light alloy halves while the cylinders have steel barrels with aluminium heads threaded onto them and are flanged to the crankcase. 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 magnetos, each of which fires one spark plug per cylinder, resulting in a twin-spark design. The advance is fixed at 28° BTDC but the magnetos are equipped with pulse coupling for easier startups. Each cylinder has one intake valve and one exhaust valve, pushrod-activated with hydraulic tappets.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/> The crankshaft is supported by three main bearings. All cylinders are identical for both the left and right bank, as a result, due to the offset of the crank throws between opposing cylinder, the exhaust valve pushrods of opposing pairs of cylinders are aligned on each other. This allows them to share a single cam for both cylinders, and so the camshaft itself only has six cams instead of eight, resulting shorter and lighter. Lubrication is wet sump but with the oil pan almost completely separated from the crankcase, being a sort of tank connected to it via a collar, inside which runs the pick-up tube feeding a gear pump, the driving impeller being directly connected to the camshaft, while the driven impeller incorporates the output for the tachometer cable. Normal operating oil pressure is between 30 and 60 PSI (2,1 to 4,2 bar).

All engine accessories (magnetos, dynamo / alternator, starter) are gear-driven through a gearbox integrated in the back of the engine. On the front side, the engine has provision for the gyroscopic instruments vacuum pump and for a mechanical AC fuel pump. Both are driven via the camshaft, through a conical gear and an eccentric, respectively.

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.<ref name="SIL98-9A">Template:Cite book</ref> The standard certification for the C90 and O-200 specifies Avgas 80/87 as the minimum fuel grade.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/> Both are eligible for operation on automobile gasoline on the basis of Supplemental Type Certificates.<ref name ="SE2031CE">Template:Cite web</ref>

While the C90 is approved for takeoff power of 95 horsepower (71 kW) at 2,625 rpm for five minutes, the designation is derived from its continuous power rating of 90 hp (67 kW) at 2,475 rpm. 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 propeller and one, the C90-12FP, designed for a pusher configuration installation.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/> While having slightly less horsepower than the O-200, many floatplane operators prefer the performance of the C90 over the O-200, due to its higher torque at lower rpm. This is primarily due to the C90's camshaft design: according to the manufacturer manual, while the valve lift is the same, the O-200 has greater scavenge angle (both valves open) by earlier opening of the intake valve BTDC and also an earlier opening of the exhaust valve BBDC on the expansion stroke, pushing the torque higher. The C90 is also known by its military designation of O-205.<ref name="Aerofilesaeron">Template:Cite web</ref>

The O-200 is an updated and upgraded version of the engine, achieving increased power of 100 hp (75 kW) at 2,750 rpm 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 a pusher installation, the -C model provides for the installation of a controllable-pitch propeller, and the -D model is a lower-weight version designed for light-sport aircraft.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

Operational history

Continental IOL-200

An engine designated the IOL-200, an O-200 variant modified with fuel injection and liquid cooling, powered the 1986 nonstop, 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 nine-day flight save for a four-minute shutdown due to a fuel problem.<ref name="NASM Voyager">Template:Cite web</ref>

Formula One racer Sharp Nemesis, designed and flown by Jon Sharp, was powered by a 'stock' O-200. Between 1991 and 1999, the aircraft 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 more than 290 mph (467 km/h).<ref name="NASM Nemesis">Template:Cite web</ref> By contrast, the O-200 powered Legend Cub cruises at 95 mph (152.9 km/h).<ref name="ALA Cub">Template:Cite web</ref>

Variants

Continental O-200D

O-200AF

Certified versions

C90

C90-8F

Lacks provisions for generator and starter drives, Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-8FJ

Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-12F

Has provisions for generator and starter drives, Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-12FH

Has provisions for generator and starter drives, Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-12FJ

Has provisions for generator and starter drives, Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-12FP

Has provisions for generator and starter drives, Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-14F

Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-14FH

Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-14FJ

Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

C90-16F

Has vacuum pump drive provisions, Template:Convert continuous, Template:Convert for take-off.<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

O-200

O-200-A

Model for tractor configuration, Template:Convert continuous<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

O-200-B

Model with special crankshaft and crankcase for pusher configuration, Template:Convert continuous<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

O-200-C

Model with provisions for a controllable pitch propeller, Template:Convert continuous<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

O-200-D

Similar to the "A" model, but with weight reductions, Template:Convert continuous<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

O-200-X

Similar to the "D" model except for engine dataplate identification, Template:Convert continuous<ref name="TCDS E-252"/>

Non-certified versions

O-200-AF

UL91 and UL94 95 hp alternate fuel engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

IOL-200/Voyager 200

The aft engine of the round the world flight Rutan Voyager

Applications

With 23,949 Cessna 150s built, this type is the most common application for the O-200.

Specifications (O-200-A)

Data from Engine specifications: O-200-A & B.<ref name="TCM Specs">Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Pistonspecs

External links

• Teledyne Continental Motors