A couple of things here. I think Tom was wrong about that web site address.
It is http://www.rotaryaviation.com and not  www.roateyaviation.com
as Tom first mentioned.

The dry weight of the 13B rotary is 190 pounds less manifolds, starter,
alt., rads, water, oil and so fourth. Much depends on the weight of the accessories
chosen. The ross PSRU weighs about 35 pounds. 
Tracy Crook was able to bring his in at about 320 pounds fire wall
forward which is about the same weight as an O-320 installation. 
IMHO he could knock off another 20 pounds if he would forgo the stock 
Lycoming mount. 180 HP is no problem at all.

I have about 3000 hours in GA airplanes and my Cessna 182 O-470 engine
averages about 500 hours with out some sort of problem with the exhaust 
valves. My wife, of all things, is an A&P mechanic with United Airlines and 
many of my friends are A&P mechanics. They confirm that exhaust valve problems 
are the largest number of any one problem the AC engine has. The rotary has
no exhaust valves and will run quite happily at 100 degrees lean of peak.
 
You must run your aircraft engine rich of peak at all times  in order to 
minimize exhaust valve problems. Tracy Crook, with almost 1000 hours in
a rotary powered RV4 has proven over and over again that when flying
side by side with an RV4 powered with an AC engine he gets about the 
same fuel burn.

I recently bought a zero timed O-470 engine from Continental. There was
an AD out on the crank before I got it installed in my 182. To make
a very long story short, NO ONE, despite getting up to 350 HP PER ROTOR
has ever broken a Mazda rotary engine e-shaft (crankshaft). We are only 
asking 100 HP per rotor for our aircaft installations.

The cosmetics of any engine installation are paint, polish  and AN hose 
to make another long story short.
 
Paul Lamar
 
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