Hexadyne Aviation is a division of Hexatron Engineering Company, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah. The firm is licensed by Weslake Air Services, Ltd. of Hastings, East Sussex, UK, to manufacture a geared version of the two-cylinder, four-stroke cycle Weslake W50 for light aircraft. The Weslake/Hexadyne P60 engine has the cylinders directly opposite each other and uses a three-throw crankshaft so that both pistons move toward or away from each other simultaneously for smooth operation. This is accomplished by having one piston with an ordinary connecting rod while the second has two connecting rods, one fore and one aft of the ordinary rod of the first piston. This general technique was developed by Anzani (France) in the late 1920s, as described by Herschel Smith (including a sketch) on p.200 (S). This configuration must be distinguished from that of the Lawrance A-3, which had cylinders directly opposite to each other, but with both pistons moving in the same direction simultaneously on a single-throw crankshaft. This led to very severe vibration penalties. Detailed information about the Hexadyne company and its engine can be obtained at the Hexadyne Website. An article about Hexadyne and the P60 was published (KP10/06) and elicited correspondence which is summarized on a page of the Kitplanes Website. Detailed information about Weslake and the W50 engine can be obtained at the Weslake Website.
O-49 -- {3.622 / 2.362 / 48.7} / {92 / 60 / 797}
2cyl; Hexadyne P60; 58hp@5500rpm; 1997-present; Wt = 98#; TC = none.
Air-cooled, electronically-controlled single-ignition engine; geared to 0.4 as a version of the Weslake W50.
KP1/01, 4/02, 4/03, 4/05, 4/06, 10/06.
Applications: (US) Flying K Enterprises Skyraider; Merlin GT; Robbins Wings R-9 (all ultralight aircraft).