I have been doing some high altitude testing on a pre-production BME 110 (with std mufflers) here in the high desert of New Mexico. Our real altitude is 5300 feet but in the heat of the day our density altitude is just shy of 9000 feet.

The engine is simply amazing. On my digital scale it weighs 3.9 pounds with spark plugs and is quite a bit smaller than the BME 102 - except for the length and mounting plate which is the same as the BME 102 making it a bolt-in replacement. I dropped a full pound from my airframe by replacing the BME 102 that was previously installed.

I didn't cut this engine any slack by putting an MSC 27x10 prop on it and running it on AMSOIL 100:1 right out of the box. This prop is a lot more load than the same size Menz and also more load than a 28x10 Mejzlik - it really pulls hard.

The engine tached at 6400 RPM (cold) and 6100-6200 RPM (hot). For comparison, we put the same prop on a DA 100 that has over 100 flights on it and is one of the strongest at our field. The DA turned the prop at 6300 (cold) and a few hundred less RPM hot. We also put the prop on another DA 100 that had about 4 gallons of fuel through it and it would only turn 5700-5800 RPM suggesting that it still needs more break-in time before it develops the same amount of power as the new BME.

The idle is excellent and very reliable as is the midrange and transition. It is also the smoothest running (low vibration) BME that I have experienced to date.

Acceleration of both the engine and airframe (35% PMP Extra 260) is instantaneous. In fact, if you bury the airplane in multiple vertical snaps the acceleration is so quick that all you have to do is get it pointed vertical at the end of the snaps and it's hard to tell that it was buried because it is instantly tracking due to the very rapid acceleration. It is almost too much power for my 35% airplane (did I say that?).

None of this may sound unusual but one must remember that the engine is performing like this at almost 9000 feet density altitude!

Keith indicated that the engine is equipped with the first samples of cylinders from the foundry which do not have the correct angles on the ports and consequently don't make quite as much power as the production cylinders. Furthermore, the ports are timed for a tuned exhaust which means that there is additional power available should a tuned exhaust system be installed.

Is the BME 110 Xtreme worth the wait? -YOU BET. This engine is going to turn a lot of heads.

Len Alessi
Albuquerque, New Mexico