REFLECTOR:Rotary Engine

reflector at tvbf.org reflector@tvbf.org
Thu Jun 3 16:26:10 CDT 2004


In a message dated 6/1/2004 11:32:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time, CBarber@TexasAttorney.net writes:

> Also, there was a flying Velo, but after two oil coolers 
> failed, the Mrs. had the guy put in a Lycosarus (if I 
> understood correctly). 

Ah! I know him, he was active on fly rotary and reflector when that happened, if it the same person then you forgot to mention that on the second oil cooler failure oil sprayed on to the exhaust and ignited, burned, melted the ignition wiring and he had to dead stick in a burning plane and just *barely* made the runway. Yep, that'll take the wind out of your experimental engine sails. :-)

But we can learn from that...

1) Rotaries make a LOT of oil pressure (just like Lyconentals) so use aircraft oil filters and oil coolers OR use the systems from Mazda rotary cars, they are both made to take the very high (by automotive standards) oil pressure. 

2) Fire sleeve or steel braid EVERYTHING under the cowl. Fires are rare but when they happen be protected! In this case it was a very small fire but it melted and killed a critical system in less than the time it took to go around the pattern. God forbid trying to get a slick airplane down from 10,000 foot without protection!

3) A base rotary engine is a rock solid bullet proof design. Then again so is a Lycoming (they just cost *way* too darned much!) Sub-systems will kill you no matter the base power plant so pay careful attention to the them! 

DM Rob



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