REFLECTOR: engine choice

Al Gietzen ALVentures at cox.net
Tue Mar 13 19:40:37 CDT 2007


Ben;

 

IMO; from the standpoint of both size and weight, I would not recommend a V8
installation for a SE RG.  If you want to go 'alternative engine', and want
the HP of an IO540; but in a package that is smaller than an IO360, and
weighs significantly less than a 540 - then consider a 3-rotor rotary, Mazda
20B.  You can see my installation, and the dyno results of the engine on my
website http://members.cox.net/alg3/airplane.htm.  I am very pleased with
the performance and operation of this engine.  I only have 23 hours in the
air, so the reliability of my installation is still an unknown, but I'd say
there is little question of the robustness of the basic engine.

 

The spar on the long wing (at the inboard end is something like  2" wider
than the short wing.

 

Speaking of low-cut keel, I wonder to what extent it reduces the structural
strength of the bottom of the plane.  As one who experienced a gear-up
landing a couple of months ago (yes; I'm trying to forget, but there it is),
the strength of the keel down the middle really kept the damage to a
minimum.  Had that failed and allowed the bottom to 'cave in' at all, it
would have been a much larger repair job.  The other thing the saved it was
the microglass hardpoints for the cylinders and the seats which served a
skid pads.

But, then; you should never have to plan for a gear-up, or gear collapse -
right? 

 

Al (repaired and painted, waiting for a prop)

 

 

 

Subject: REFLECTOR: engine choice

 

Hi all,

 

I emailed with scott b. today regarding tools for my shop (just getting
started) and the dual yoke option (with low cut keel). I also asked him
about engine choices and told him that I was thinking about going automotive
(once I get to that point). I have looked at Bill Mulrooney's V-8
installation which looks very promising (good T/O & climb performance + low
fuel consumption + lots of HP). I have a Standard RG Elite model and was
wondering if the smaller wing will be able to take the load of the heavier
engine installation (similar to an IO-540)? After all, the only difference
between the long and the short wing seems to be the wing itself, since the
main spar looks identical !? I also noticed that load factors, published on
the velocity website for the XLs are smaller than the ones for the Stds,
letting me belief that the wings are of similar strength? I was just
wondering what the group's input was on this (V8 installation with gross
weight increase to 2800).

 

Anybody else flying or building a V8 velocity?

 

Kind regards,

 

Ben Harren

( Std RG Elite N888GF / just getting started)

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