Alan Tolle wrote:

I see a thread here to which I would like to add a few words.

Although I have raced sports cars, boats, and airplanes, I can not really
say that I am a racer at heart.  Racing was always for the fun of it, and I
have never considered myself a die hard competitor.   Racing anything always
carries an element of risk (the higher the level, the greater the risk) and
I can understand anyone's reluctance to accept any part of that risk.

However, the race course has been the acid test of many mechanical
endeavors.  Most of the great engine developers have proven their products
at the "track," (Porsche and a lot of other names come to mind) and if the
rotary engine is going to prove itself as a viable aircraft powerplant,
capable of competing with and perhaps even replacing Lycoming and
Continental engines, it will have to do so in head to head competition.  A
lot of us feel that the rotary engine will ultimately win.

I have listened for years to plots telling how fast they think their
airplanes will go and I do not  intend to doubt any one's honesty.   But my
knee jerk response to such claims has been the same as the one Paul recently
posted --  bring your rotary powered airplane to Sun and Fun in April and
demonstrate what you can do compared to a like airframe running a Lycoming
engine.   If you can run flat out for 20 to 25 minutes and beat the other
guy's time, you have proved that you really have something.   More
importantly, your demonstration will be verified by the all important
independent third party, and the results go into the history books for the
whole world to see.

The Sun 100 race is an imperfect event so far as reported airspeeds are
concerned.  First, the timing is from a standing start, rather than an air
start.  Second, the race organizers keep changing the distance flown --
first it was 100 miles, then 90 miles, and last year it was 94 miles.
However,  the race is run over exactly the same course each year, and thus
it can be used to validate development progress.   Dave Anders and his RV4
have returned year after year.   Pay no attention to Dave's reported
airspeeds, but note that his elapsed time to fly exactly the same course has
decreased each year.   BTW the true distance is 90 miles.

I have great respect for what the other contributors to this forum have done
over the past dozen years.  But I simply note that what the aviation world
sees right now is that the Powersport engine is apparently the only rotary
conversion that has gotten far enough along in development and testing to be
confident enough to go out and establish a track record.  And that was two
years ago now.

At this rate the rotary revolution is going to take a long, long time.  Talk
is cheap and actions speak a lot louder than words.   So come on, you guys.
Come on out and  help me show 'em what we got!

Thanks Allan and I totally agree.

Paul Lamar
 
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