The founder of KNOB ENGINES, and 22% shareholder, Vaclav currently serves as Chief Engineer and Technical Director managing the technical team through the Birotary Engine ground tests, airplane engine installation and preparation for the in-flight testing.
In 2010 he founded KNOB ENGINES and in 2014, together with his new partner Jiri Drahovzal, they filed patents for the revolutionary Birotary Engine design and/or its innovative sealing in 48 countries worldwide. Vaclav oversaw the 2015 first manufacture and testing of the Birotary Engine functional prototype.
After leaving the Czech Technical University in Prague in 1989, where he was studying Transportation and Manipulation Technology, Vaclav has had a broad and highly successful career in engine design, research and development. Strongly influenced by his University study and his inspirational Professor Jan Macek, Vaclav has focused on combustion engine and gearbox design. Today, racing gearboxes and sequential shifting mechanisms developed by Vaclav are being used by many private racing teams.
His developments can be seen in Porsche 996, 997, GT2, GT3, Turbo, Carrera, Boxter, Cayman, also in Mitsubishi Lancer EVO, Toyota Celica, Honda Prelude, and in the vast majority of VW Group automobiles. The shifting mechanism for Porsche was developed by Vaclav in cooperation with “CARTRONIC” and the development center of “Porsche Engineering Group GmbH”. In addition, Vaclav has worked on multiple engine design and development projects for “AUDI AG” and has completed design projects on Ring-Shaped Valve engine and 2-stroke engine with swinging pistons.
In many of his R&D activities Vaclav has cooperated with his mentor, Professor Jan Macek and his Alma Mater – The Czech Technical University in Prague and together they own several patents such as for a Cylinder head with annular valve for internal combustion engines patented in USA in 2016.