Perry Mick wrote:

In case no one has mentioned it yet, April 2002 Road and Track
has an article about the RX-8.  How Ford almost killed the rotary
but Mazda persevered.

--
Perry J. Mick
Duckt N7XR
http://www.ductedfan.com

Thanks Perry. I will pick up a copy.

BTW I forget to mention something when we were talking about
your idea for more static air. Those slots will indeed provide
more static thrust by getting more air through the fan but with
the inflatable lips you get thrust from the air flowing over
the lips as well. I would say it would work twice as well at
a minimum. This is because the airflow causes a low pressure
on the inflatable lips as it flows around and over them.

If the ID is 36 inches and the OD is 48 inches or a six inch
wide inflatable lip that is about 252 square inches of projected area. 
If the average pressure vector is 10 inches of water that is 
.37 psi or about 100 pounds of additional static thrust.
I think a one foot wide inflatable lip or a five foot OD duct 
for takeoff would be doable.

Paul Lamar
 
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