The Fichtel & Sachs started to produce Wankel-type engines at the beginning of the 60s for stationary equipment, boats, motorcycles and small agricultural machinery. One of the first engines produced was, in 1965, the model KM 48, initially conceived as a stationary engine and later adapted for various uses including, in the version K8B, for motorized gliders. Thanks to its compact size and good mass-to-power ratio, the KM 48 was one of the first Wankel rotary engines used in aviation.