REFLECTOR:Rotarys, Lycosaurs, etc.

Tue, 4 Nov 2003 23:17:01 -0800

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Gentlemen, 

    I hope I don't offend with this.  But I just spoke with Lance
Wheeler of NSI the other day and he told me he's getting ready to
produce a 2.5L (4 cyl) turbocharged Subaru FWF pkg that his dyno says
puts out 300 hp.  I'll bet one thing.  It'll be a lot quieter than those
rotary.

You put a turbo on a rotary and it is pretty quiet as well.  But I don't
think quiet ranks at the top of the selection criteria.

Before I selected the rotary I did a critical review of just about every
possible engine option.  The three main criteria were reliability,
performance/weight, and cost.  At one point I was very near choosing the
250 hp turbocharged 2.2L subi conversion (I think it was Cross-Flow
Aero).  Pretty much the same thing NSI is offering, just a bit smaller.
Performance is attractive.  When you added it all up, it was quite
expensive; but after asking a lot of questions, the reason I crossed it
off was uncertain reliability.  Pushing 2 hp/cu. in. makes for high
stress levels.  Running in a race car - OK.  You can overhaul between
races and you can pull into the pits when something goes wrong.  You can
learn a lot about engine reliability talking to folks that race cars for
a living.

Certified aircraft engines are pretty stout, reliable engines.  Still,
their failure modes are primarily related to valves, connecting rods,
and the occasional crankshaft break.  And their performance is derated
by running them slower to eliminate reduction gearing.  Do you really
want to take another engine with valves, connecting rods and crankshaft,
stress it to the max, run it at high speeds, and add reduction gearing;
and put it in your airplane?  Do you know of any one of these that has
gone 1500 hrs in an airplane between major malfunctions or overhaul?

In my opinion, it is very difficult to do a custom auto conversion
installation and achieve a reliability as high as Lyc or Continental in
a certified aircraft.  (Uh-oh; now even the other auto conversion guys
won't speak to me).  You can get better performance and lower cost, no
doubt about it; but the reliability is hard to achieve.  The statistics
just aren't there.  The basic engine can be reliable, but there are many
first time, one-of-a-kind aspects to most installations.  Suitable
reliability can be achieved, but it takes careful scrutiny and
engineering every step of the way.  And then some careful, rigorous
testing.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

And, yes; we are building experimental aircraft.

Al

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<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Gentlemen, =
</span></font></p>

</div>

<p style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p; I
hope I don't offend with this.&nbsp; But I just spoke with Lance Wheeler =
of NSI
the other day and he told me he's getting ready to produce a 2.5L (4 =
cyl)
turbocharged Subaru FWF pkg that his dyno says puts out 300 hp.&nbsp; =
I'll bet one
thing.&nbsp; It'll be a lot quieter than those rotar</span></font><font
color=3Dblue face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-family:Arial;color:blue'>y.</span></font></p>

<p><font size=3D2 color=3Dblue face=3DVerdana><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;color:blue'>You put a turbo on a rotary and it is =
pretty quiet
as well.&nbsp; But I don&#8217;t think quiet ranks at the top of the =
selection
criteria.</span></font></p>

Before I selected the rotary I did a =
critical review
of just about every possible engine option. &nbsp;The three main =
criteria were reliability,
performance/weight, and cost.&nbsp; At one point I was very near =
choosing the
250 hp turbocharged 2.2L subi conversion (I think it was Cross-Flow =
Aero). &nbsp;Pretty
much the same thing NSI is offering, just a bit smaller. =
&nbsp;Performance is
attractive. &nbsp;When you added it all up, it was quite expensive; but =
after
asking a lot of questions, the reason I crossed it off was uncertain =
reliability.&nbsp;
Pushing 2 hp/cu. in. makes for high stress levels.&nbsp; Running in a =
race car &#8211;
OK.&nbsp; You can overhaul between races and you can pull into the pits =
when
something goes wrong. &nbsp;You can learn a lot about engine reliability
talking to folks that race cars for a living.

Certified aircraft engines are pretty =
stout,
reliable engines. &nbsp;Still, their failure modes are primarily related =
to
valves, connecting rods, and the occasional crankshaft break. &nbsp;And =
their
performance is derated by running them slower to eliminate reduction =
gearing.&nbsp;
Do you really want to take another engine with valves, connecting rods =
and crankshaft,
stress it to the max, run it at high speeds, and add reduction gearing; =
and put
it in your airplane?&nbsp; Do you know of any one of these that has gone =
1500
hrs in an airplane between major malfunctions or =
overhaul?

In my opinion, it is very difficult to =
do a
custom auto conversion installation and achieve a reliability as high as =
Lyc or
Continental in a certified aircraft. &nbsp;(Uh-oh; now even the other =
auto
conversion guys won&#8217;t speak to me). &nbsp;You can get better =
performance
and lower cost, no doubt about it; but the reliability is hard to =
achieve.&nbsp;
The statistics just aren&#8217;t there.&nbsp; The basic engine can be =
reliable,
but there are many first time, one-of-a-kind aspects to most =
installations.&nbsp;
Suitable reliability can be achieved, but it takes careful scrutiny and =
engineering
every step of the way.&nbsp; And then some careful, rigorous =
testing.

<p><font size=3D2 color=3Dblue face=3DVerdana><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;color:blue'>Anyway, that&#8217;s my 2 cents =
worth.</span></font></p>

<p><font size=3D2 color=3Dblue face=3DVerdana><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;color:blue'>And, yes; we are building experimental
aircraft.</span></font></p>

<p><font size=3D2 color=3Dblue face=3DVerdana><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;color:blue'>Al</span></font></p>

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