Anderson Ed wrote:

Don,

Had you made the comment  "no one is about to turn this into a
legitimate business" 15 - 20 years ago about homebuilts, the statement
would undoubtedly have had most heads nodding in agreement.  Now, here
we have had a number of homebuilt designers first becoming sucessful kit
providers, now becoming (or soon will be) certified aircraft producers.
Furthermore, their products can't be touched dollar for performance and
with those "Kit" companies unable to fill the orders pouring in.  Some
will undoubtedly fail to make a commerical go of it as certified
aircraft producers, but others will be sucessful.

Had you made the comment five years ago about producing rotary engines
for aicraft as not being a viable business, I would have probably agreed
with you.  However, I am convinced if a market exists then a provider
will be there.  The projects with rotary engines are much more prevalent
that when I started and growing rapidly.   Powersport Inc., may indeed
provide a FWF package before the year is out. True these are rebuilds of
existing rotary engines which is a questionable basis for a viable
engine business.  However, there are more independent efforts such as
Moller & Gambrine(s?) (Germany) has rotary designs that would appear
to be viable for aircraft use.

 Will a number of people try to make it a viable business and fail? - no
doubt, but I am convinced that that as we learn more, as the LYCOMINGS
continue to increase in price at the recent historical (hysterical?)
rate, that we will have two - three companies within the next 5 years
offering cost effective and viable FWF rotary packages. You can bet on
it.

Ed Anderson
RV-6A N494BW  Rotary Powered

Glad to see you made it thru the snow drifts Ed. I was a little worried.

Paul Lamar
 
The Aircraft Rotary Engine Newsletter.              Powered by Linux.

http://home.earthlink.net/~rotaryeng/            http://www.linux.org