Paul
I just checked up on the Moeller site and see where Freedom
Motors
is
taking orders for their
engines.
"Beta versions of the RotapowerŪ 650 and 1300 will be available
this
summer and priced at $5,000
and $7,000, respectively. Volume pricing reductions will be
announced
as production levels
increase later this year. "
www.freedom-motors.com/
Thought I would pass this along to the group.
Mike Perry
What ever you do don't send them any money.
They have had the same message up for 3+ years. Paul Moller
recently
plead guilty to stock violations.
Hans Conser
"Bruce E. Calkins" wrote:
The Rotapower 650 announcement went up a few days ago. If you will
notice,
Freedom Motors had planned to put the 530cc engine into production
first,
but because of the interest received in the larger
displacement/horsepower
output engine the 650cc is being produced first.
Also, Dr. Moller did not "plead guilty" to anything. Rather than go
into a
long battle with the SEC, he agreed to pay a fine.
-MI
I'll believe after I see it run for 500 hours Bruce. Its going to take
you
years to overcome your image. Best change your company name and hide
the owner ship of the new company.
Paul Lamar
wadebush wrote:
Bruce,
Instead of being defensive about the engine why not put one of your 650cc
engine in an airplane and fly it around to all the shows demonstrating
that
it works. Better yet, one of each.
After some real air time hours, people not wanting to "roll their own" can
go "drop in" for their aircraft engines through you guys (Moeller /
Freedom
Motors).
Until then the only "proven" (real air time rotaries) are the ones that
actually fly and are able to make it to the shows.
Paul has to be somewhat conservative especially on anything not flown. To
tell
everyone "yes, go and buy one" would put him at odds with potential
lawsuits
and mad patrons should some unforeseen problem arise in the Freedom motor.
The engine is different enough thats its reliability is yet unproven
especially without a flying example. Of course people would be interested
but there will always be those that choose to pioneer their own way or, as
in my case, save tons of money while learning a subject extremely
interesting to me.
Just my take on this, but I could be wrong.
Wade Bush
"Bruce E. Calkins" wrote:
Dear Wade,
We have been working with a group which intends to offer the engine to the
aviation community and they, in turn, have been talking with a aircraft
builder. My understanding is that they will be getting one of the first 50
engines that come out of our partner's facility in Minnesota and that it
will be modified and used in some sort of aircraft application. I have not
been part of that discussion. We are concentrating on the engine production
requirements and meeting specifications for a number of non-aviation related
applications as our top priority.
Like Mr. Lamar, we do not suggest that one of the first applications of this
engine be in an aircraft. We would prefer to establish a performance
history with a less safety-critical application. But we have little control
of the engine once it is sold and, realizing this, when we were approached
by the group mentioned above, we suggested that they run independent tests
and do their own evaluation. Given the outcome is positive and the "first
articles" coming out of our manufacturing effort are suitable for their use
in an aircraft, they will proceed.
Again, we want our rotary engine to gain acceptance in a wide range of
applications and have been working steadily (although slowly) towards that
goal since we acquired the OMC design in the mid-1980's. I know that many
people have become frustrated with our apparent lack of progress, but we
continued to work on both the 530 and 650 designs at our own expense. Our
requirements lead us to look first at the 530, but other industries needed
the additional horsepower of the 650 (50 hp vs. 75 hp, respectively).
We have slowly acquired all the specialized equipment needed to produce the
engine in volume and built tooling for both the 530 and 650 engines, with
custom tooling for the version required for our ducted fan application.
Furthermore, we've been testing the engine in various configurations in our
dyno facility nearly continuously for the past three years (two-to-three
builds a week), and in a ducted fan test stand for about two years. The
eight 530 engines in the Skycar have now been in used periodically for about
2 years and in a more than 20 brief hover flights over the past year.
I appreciate that it has taken us a long time to bring the Rotapower engine
to this point but I hope that we can get an unbiased appraisal of the
engine, regardless of how long it takes. As rotary engine supporters, I
continue to think that this could be your goal as well.
Sincerely,
Bruce E. Calkins
General Manager
Moller International
(530) 756-5086
www.moller.com
First let me ask the obvious question. Who are those guys?
"a group which intends to offer the engine to the aviation community"
"talking with an aircraft builder" ???? Does that mean they are going
to attempt to certify the engine?
The rating is now down from 150 HP to 75 HP is that correct?
If so that puts it in another market segment which is a tough market to
be in. Namely low cost two cycle engines. Is the "group" prepared
to compete on cost alone as that is what they are going to have to
do? Certain improvements have made in the low cost light weight 2 cycle
engine making it much less prone to seize. Namely water cooling,
aluminum bores and EFI.
Paul Lamar
-david mccandless wrote:
Hi Gang, what is going on here?
The post starts with 650 and 1300 cc and then discusses 530 and 650 cc
engines, then Calkins,the General Manager, says he has not been
involved with the discussions with the aviation community, nor with "an
aircraft builder". What the hell does the general manager do?
I am an "aircraft builder", we are all "aircraft builders" Let us hope
it is not a scam to get Powersport into the Brooklyn Bridge scene.
Best wishes Paul for the new side housings, I'm definitly a customer
for a set when you have evaluated them to be up to standard, and if they
are not, I am sure you will let us know and we will attack the problem
again. We are all thinking, all the time, and we will find a way. Dave McC
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