Subject: Part Quality?
From: ACRE
Date: 4/20/2004, 7:27 AM


Paul,
 i was asked to look at the Crossflow Psru by a friend. I went on their
web site and of course there everything looks great. Didn't we have a thread
previously about someone who had trouble getting their parts from Crossflow?
Their layout looks like a cross between the Powersport reduction drive,
(internal spur gear) and Mistral, with a helical drive to run a prop
governor. No details on how they pressurize the prop though.
Bill Jepson


One of the Glastar builders experienced a failure of the Crossflow PSRU in
2001.  This was the initial posting of the event on the Glastarnet:

"For those of you that might be flying or thinking about flying the
Crossflow Subaru.  On Saturday, 11/17/01, I was returning to the airport
when I began getting a vibration, it continued to get worse until I was
forced to shut the engine down and become a glider pilot.  On the plus side,
the Glastar sure glides nice.  I landed safely at the airport and found the
reduction drive had decided to become a boat anchor.  I have only 47 hours
total time on the airplane and engine.  Anyone currently flying or thinking
about flying the Crossflow Subaru may want to look carefully at this
installation before proceeding further.  I can be reached at 989-743-3570, a
Michigan number, for anyone that would like more info."


I checked them out out Sun & Fun. Looks like and out and out scam to me.
They had real slick looking tent booth.

The diameter of the internal spur gear PSRU is half the Power Sport and Marcotte
internal spur gear diameters judging by the OD of the housings. They had the gaul 
to have it mounted on a six cylinder turbo Subaru 350 HP (or so they claimed) hand 
grenade. They had no PSRU's taken apart on display. For all I know there was 
nothing in the housings.

There is no magic in gears. The size required to
transmit a given amount of HP was determined years ago. Furthermore they
were claiming 13 gallons an hour for this engine. 13 gallons an hour is 78 pounds
an hour. Divided by a BSFC .4 (giving them the extreme benefit of the BSFC doubt) 
is 195 HP. Sure if you want to cruise it at 55% power. 

What is more likely is the BSFC is .45 for a turbo or 173 HP cruise. Or 49% peak power.
These people obviously think Americans are stupid and an easy mark.

This is a Canadian outfit and it is always not wise to do business across the
international boarder. It is nearly impossible to get your money back if they
don't ship. In the US you can always get a judgment and get the sheriff to attach
their assets if any.

Paul Lamar
 
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