If you fly behind a Rotax and wear a Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset, your headset just got better for free. On October 20, 2026, Lightspeed Aviation released version 2.4.0 of the Lightspeed App. The update lets every Delta Zulu owner switch between the headset’s standard Signature ANR profile and a new profile built specifically for Rotax aircraft engines.
It is the first time a premium aviation headset has offered noise cancellation and audio tuned to a particular engine, and you don’t have to buy anything to get it. Lightspeed confirmed to us that the update is free for every Delta Zulu, no matter how old the headset is. Eventually, new Delta Zulus will ship with the updated firmware already installed.
Lightspeed Delta Zulu ANR Aviation Headset
Lightspeed’s flagship ANR headset, with a built-in Kanari carbon monoxide sensor, HearingEQity custom hearing profiles, Bluetooth, and a 7-year warranty. Now the only headset with a Rotax-specific ANR and audio profile. Available in Dual GA plugs, Helicopter U-174, and 6-pin LEMO panel power.
What Is the Rotax Profile?
Every ANR headset is tuned to cancel a certain mix of noise. Most are tuned for the cockpit most pilots sit in: a direct-drive Lycoming or Continental turning a prop at 2,300 to 2,700 RPM. A Rotax sounds nothing like that. It is a small, geared engine that cruises above 5,000 RPM, and the turbocharged models add their own character on top. The noise reaching your ears sits in a different place.
Lightspeed and BRP-Rotax worked together on a profile that targets that sound. In the words of the announcement, it “counters the engine’s unique sound frequencies and cockpit acoustics to create a quieter environment.” It adjusts both the noise cancellation and the audio you hear, with two goals: clearer communications and less fatigue.
Lightspeed CEO Heider Lazzarini put it this way:
“This is the first time a premium aviation headset provides the option to optimize acoustic performance for an engine platform. The Rotax audio profile, only available through the Lightspeed Delta Zulu, represents a new level of integration between aircraft systems and pilot safety and comfort.”
The timing makes sense. Rotax engines power more than 75% of the light sport, ultralight, and light aircraft market and are used by over 250 aircraft manufacturers worldwide. With the FAA’s MOSAIC rule expanding what sport pilots can fly and what a light sport aircraft can be, that share of the fleet is set to grow.
The Signature profile doesn’t go away. You choose between the two in the Lightspeed App and can switch back whenever you like.
Which Rotax Engines Is It Tuned For?
The profile was developed for Rotax’s fuel-injected “iS” family:
- Rotax 912 iS and 912 iSc (100 hp)
- Rotax 915 iS and 915 iSc (141 hp, turbocharged)
- Rotax 916 iS (160 hp, turbocharged)
The “c” marks the certified version of the same engine, used in type-certificated aircraft.
These are the same engines covered by Rotax Care, Rotax’s optional extended warranty program for its 4-stroke aircraft engines. Rotax now offers the Delta Zulu with the Rotax profile to Rotax Care customers. Marc Becker, Head of Aircraft Business at BRP-Rotax, called the collaboration “a smart addition to Rotax Care” that brings “a cockpit audio experience tuned to the sound characteristics of Rotax engines.”
You do not need to be enrolled in Rotax Care to get the profile. It comes to all Delta Zulu owners through the app.
Aircraft That Fly Behind These Engines
Not sure whether this applies to you? If you fly a light sport airplane, a modern kitplane, or one of the newer Rotax-powered trainers, there’s a good chance it does. Here are some of the better-known examples.
| Engine | Power | Example aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Rotax 912 iS / iSc | 100 hp | Van’s RV-12iS, ICON A5, Tecnam P-Mentor, Flight Design F2 and CTLSi |
| Rotax 915 iS / iSc | 141 hp turbo | Sling TSi, Bristell B23 Turbo, JMB VL-3, Blackshape Prime, Tecnam P2002 Sierra MkII, Progressive Aerodyne Searey |
| Rotax 916 iS / iSc | 160 hp turbo | CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL, Kitfox Super Sport and Speedster, Sling TSi and Sling High Wing, JMB VL-3, Zlin Norden, Cirrus TRAC10 |
Rotax 912 iS and 912 iSc
The 100 hp 912 iS is the fuel-injected version of the engine that built the light sport category. You’ll find it in:
- Van’s RV-12iS: one of the most popular kit and factory-built LSAs in the U.S., and a common sight at flight schools.
- ICON A5: the folding-wing amphibian, with the 912 iS mounted behind the cabin driving a pusher prop.
- Tecnam P-Mentor: a certified IFR trainer that uses the 912 iSc3.
- Flight Design F2 and CTLSi: composite high-wing cruisers.
Rotax 915 iS and 915 iSc
The turbocharged 915 iS holds its power to altitude, which made it a favorite for fast cross-country designs:
- Sling TSi: the four-seat kitplane that put the 915 iS on the map for a lot of builders.
- Bristell B23 Turbo: a certified two-seat trainer and tourer.
- JMB VL-3: a retractable-gear two-seater that is among the fastest aircraft in its class.
- Blackshape Prime and Tecnam P2002 Sierra MkII: tandem and side-by-side low-wing sport planes.
- Progressive Aerodyne Searey: the 915 iS is offered as an upgrade on this amphibian.
Rotax 916 iS
The 160 hp 916 iS is the newest and most powerful of the group, and backcountry builders adopted it quickly:
- CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL: the launch aircraft for the 916 iS.
- Kitfox Super Sport and Speedster: Kitfox was among the first kit manufacturers to fit the engine.
- Sling TSi and Sling High Wing: both four-seaters are available with the 916 iS.
- JMB VL-3 and Zlin Norden: speed on one end, STOL on the other.
- Cirrus TRAC10: Cirrus’s new three-seat trainer for flight schools uses the certified 916 iSc, with U.S. deliveries planned for 2027.
Helicopters and Gyroplanes
These engines turn rotors too. The Delta Zulu comes in a Helicopter U-174 version as well as dual GA plugs, so check which jack your aircraft uses.
- Hungaro Copter HC-02: a two-seat light helicopter powered by the Rotax 915 iS.
- AutoGyro Cavalon, Calidus, and MTOsport 2017: gyroplanes offered with the 915 iS and 916 iS.
- Magni M24 Plus and M26 Victor: enclosed gyroplanes built around the 915 iS.
Check your engine before you assume. Many of these airframes are sold with more than one engine. An RV-12 may have the carbureted 912 ULS, and a Sling or Kitfox could have any of several Rotax models. The data plate or your POH will tell you which one you have.
What If I Fly a Different Rotax, or a Different Engine?
Lightspeed has named the 912 iS/c, 915 iS/c, and 916 iS as the engines the profile is tailored to. The carbureted 912 UL and ULS and the 914 are not on that list, and Lightspeed has not said how the profile performs with them.
The profile is not locked to an aircraft, though. Any Delta Zulu owner can load it and switch back. If you fly behind another Rotax, you can try both and keep the one that sounds better to you. If you split your time between a Rotax airplane and a Lycoming or Continental one, switch back to the Signature profile for the latter. After the first setup a swap takes a minute or two, so changing it before you walk out to the airplane is practical. Keep in mind that each profile uses its own HearingEQity setup (more on that below).
How to Get the Update
There are two parts: update the Lightspeed App to version 2.4.0, then let the app update your headset’s firmware. The first time through takes a while because the app has to write the new capability to the headset.
| Step | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| App update | 2 minutes |
| Headset firmware update | 15 to 20 minutes |
| First profile swap | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Later profile swaps | 1 to 2 minutes, including the reboot |
Plan on about 40 minutes for the first setup. Do it at home or in the hangar, not on the ramp with the engine about to start.
How to Turn On the Rotax Profile
Do this on the ground, before your flight. The headset reboots during a profile change and you will have no communications until it finishes. Lightspeed recommends setting your profile outside the aircraft.
- In the Lightspeed App, tap Equalizer at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap ANR and Audio Profile.
- Under “Switch to,” tap Rotax ANR & Audio Profile.
- Confirm that you are not currently in flight.
- Tap Load Rotax ANR & Audio Profile.
- Wait for the update to complete. The headset’s power LED flashes green when the change begins, then the headset reboots.
- Create a HearingEQity profile for the new ANR and audio profile (see below).
To go back, follow the same steps and choose the Signature ANR and Audio Profile.
Redo Your HearingEQity Test
HearingEQity is the Delta Zulu feature that runs a short hearing test in the app and adjusts the audio to each ear. Your existing HearingEQity profile was built on the Signature profile and does not carry over. When you switch to the Rotax profile, the app tells you to create a new HearingEQity profile for it. Plan a few quiet minutes for that the first time you switch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Rotax profile cost anything?
No. Lightspeed told us the update is free for all Delta Zulus regardless of the age of the headset. Headsets built later will eventually ship with the new firmware already installed.
Do I need to be in the Rotax Care program?
No. Rotax Care is how Rotax offers the Delta Zulu to its own engine customers. The profile itself is available to all Delta Zulu owners through the app.
Will it work on my Zulu 3, Zulu 4, or Sierra?
No. The Rotax profile is only available on the Delta Zulu. If you’re comparing models, see our look at the Lightspeed Zulu 4 and how the lineup differs.
Can I switch profiles in flight?
You shouldn’t. The headset reboots during a swap and you lose communications while it does. The app asks you to confirm you are on the ground before it will load a profile.
Do I lose my HearingEQity settings or the CO sensor?
You keep both features. The one thing to know is that HearingEQity is set separately for each ANR and audio profile, so you’ll need to create a new HearingEQity profile after you switch to the Rotax profile.
Bottom Line
A headset that improves after you buy it is rare. Lightspeed built the Delta Zulu on a digital platform that can be updated, and this is the clearest payoff so far: Rotax pilots get noise cancellation tuned for their engine at no cost.
If you fly an RV-12iS, a Sling, a Carbon Cub UL, an ICON A5, or anything else behind a 912 iS, 915 iS, or 916 iS, update to Lightspeed App 2.4.0 and set aside 40 minutes on the ground to install it. If you’re shopping for a headset for a Rotax-powered airplane, the Delta Zulu is now the only one with a profile made for it.
New to noise-cancelling headsets? Our guide to ANR vs. passive aviation headsets explains how the technology works.