Dear Thomas B. Haines,
I was aghast at reading your column in the most recent AOPA Pilot.
Imagine my surprise after working with Mazda Rotaries for the past 10
years to learn that they are a very different beast in your world. The
weight you quote is just plain WRONG. Our firewall forward package
weighs 326 lbs. installed. This includes ALL of everything, fully
installed and running. Further, at this weight it makes 215 horsepower
continuous. As to the durability of the rotary you really missed the
mark. The rotary can easily operate at FULL power continuously for far
longer than ANY piston engine ever could, proof of this is available
from many sources. Our dyno sheets show numbers that piston engines
only dream about. Also as evidence is the fact that some Canadian power
companies burn off waste gasses in rotaries at FULL power 24 hours a
day 365 days a year generating auxiliary power, (they only shut them
down long enough to change the oil).

As we continue to try to make a business out of rotaries for aircraft,
columns such as yours are damaging, and do a great disservice to; us,
to participants in general aviation, (and maybe most importantly from
your perspective) to you and your credibility. There are several very
credible and competent participants in the "rotaries for aircraft"
arena who would be glad to spend the time with you to properly inform
you on the subject, I advise strongly that you seek them out before
doing any more damage.

Powersport Aviation - www.powersportaviation.com
Real World Solutions  - www.rotaryaviation.com
Paul Lamar's website and newsletter - www.rotaryeng.net
Atkins Rotary - www.atkinsrotary.com
Mistral engines - www.mistral-engines.com
There are others as well.

Respectfully,
Tedd James
Powersport Aviation
Cellular: (612) 840 - 1717
Fax:         (612) 617 - 7743

Office:
1315 4th St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55414


Tedd James

Cellular: (612) 840 - 1717
Fax:         (612) 617 - 7743

Office:
1315 4th St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55414