Bob Earley wrote:

Hello fellow rotarians,

Just got around to my latest issue of Road and Track which has an interview with the High
Priest of my persuasion (Canardism) Burt Rutan. The topic is mostly about electric and hybrid
automobiles (Burt's been driving an EC1 from GM for a couple of years), but this one quote
jumped off the page: "engines from Lycoming and Continental that people are putting in
airplanes today use tractor technology from the forties." Great to hear that from someone
who's seen it all.

Bob

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.
For a piston engine:-) I just think the rotary is better. Too bad the
rotary is not air cooled.

BTW the silly GM electric cars have all been taken away from the lessees
by GM. Try and find one on the road. He is wrong about those too.
Even  Paul Macready at Aero environment, who helped develop the
car said electric cars make no sense. Like the rest of us, Burt is human :-)

BTW I helped Popular Science test the car when it first came out.
GM and the stupid CA Air Resources board lied about the range.
I could go on and on but this is a rotary newsletter.

Paul Lamar
 
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