Better Half VW

Better Half VW
Type	Aircraft engine
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Better Half
Designer	Leonard Milholland
First run	1993
Major applications	Milholland Legal Eagle
Developed from	Volkswagen air-cooled engine

The Better Half VW is an American aircraft engine, designed by Leonard Milholland of Brookshire, Texas, in 1993 for use in ultralight aircraft. The engine is supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction.^[1]^[2]

Design and development

The engine is a twin cylinder four-stroke, horizontally-opposed air-cooled, direct-drive gasoline engine design based on the Volkswagen air-cooled engine. It employs coil ignition and produces about 30 hp (22 kW). Unlike other half VWs this design does not require cutting the engine block in half, but instead blanks the two aft cylinders and removes the pistons.^[1]^[2]

The design has evolved over time, incorporating improvements to reduce complexity and improve reliability.^[2]

Applications

Milholland Legal Eagle

Specifications (Better Half VW)

Data from World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12^[1]

General characteristics

Type: Twin cylinder, four-stroke aircraft engine
Bore: 92 mm (3.6 in)
Stroke: 85 mm (3.3 in)
Displacement: 920 cc (56.1 cu in)
Dry weight: 40 kg (88.2 lb)

Components

Fuel type: gasoline
Cooling system: air

Performance

Power output: 30 hp (22 kW)
Compression ratio: 8.5:1

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, pages 238-239. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
^ ^a ^b ^c Milholland, Leonard (2002). "The Better Half VW Engine". betterhalfvw.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.

External links

Official website

[WDLA11-1] Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, pages 238-239. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X

[BH-2] Milholland, Leonard (2002). "The Better Half VW Engine". betterhalfvw.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.

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[2]