<< Burt is wrong. Don't underestimate the air cooled aircraft piston engine.
 For a piston engine it is about the best that can be done for an aircraft
 engine. Simple, reliable and light weight for its continuous power rating. >>

HornetBall wrote:

Given the difficulty of trying to make any other powerplant do what Lycomings
and Continentals do, I agree.  However, I think Burt's main point was the
lack of development found in the aircraft piston engine arena due to
financial disincentives in the form small market size and overly burdensom
(and ultimately unsafe) regulation.

I agree on the regulations. The sad part about that is the regs are
not doing what they are supposed to be doing. The AD's on my engine
did not come out until seven engines failed and the AC's crashed. 
The Alaska Airlines crash is another example. If the paper trail is OK 
the feds never look at the parts.

Continental is trying. The water cooled engines in Patrick Swayze's C414
and ironically Rutan Voyager are one example. The new diesel is another.
 
Paul Lamar
 
The Aircraft Rotary Engine Newsletter.              Powered by Linux.

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