> Keith,
> > Many of the rotary people on here are telling you, but you are not
> listening. "Do well in the OSK race". Put your energy into that arena> and see where it leads to. Is a sponsorship for someone a possibility?> One person on here is trying to get distilleries around the world lined
> up for a globe rounding ethanol fired run. Can we as a group donate
> parts, money, machining and help to an individual dedicated to a project> that can competitively race? Can we even find a dedicated racer? Will
> you spearhead such an effort? If you are really  serious about sticking> in the minds of 40,000 OSK visitors figure out a way to get to 3000
> meters quicker than Bruce Bohannon--- we can dream on that one. There is
> no magic answer but there is a well known "fact" of life. If an engine> races well, it must be good. Yes, I heard you groan, but there are at
> least 3 -the BIG THREE- auto manufacturers who share this belief AKA-
> the NASCAR series. My suggestion is to sift the sands on race beach and
> look for a way to enter a competition and develop a way to fund it.
> Putting a rotary powered aircraft on the flight line with a WIN ( or
> even a place or show ) trophy in front of it will speak volumes to many.
> This is how rotaries should get their recognition, what is lacking is
> the organizer to achieve this result. Are you the person willing to
> commit the time to pull together sponsors, builders, maybe an airframe> manufacturer to get a race winning rotary done? Lead or follow, but
> don't just stand there with your water trickling out  :)
> >       Dave

Dave:

All three of the "many" seem to be missing the minor (and oft-
repeated)detail that I can't afford to do that.

Remember also that racing isn't just an engine factor.  A lot of other
things go into it.  We want something which can't be explained away, or
credited to a lot of expensive prep.

You're right that an engine that races well gets some attention, but an
engine which does the impossible will certain get more attention.

I CAN (maybe) afford to do the demo, and more than three people have
emailed me offering to help make it happen.

What I want is for there to be so many Wankel activities and displays
that people will thing all the other engine makers have gone out of
business!  ;)

Keith

The bottom line is you need to test this before you do it
at OSH. The rotary may not be a bullet proof as you make it
out to be.

BTW we take a 12A rotary apart each day and put it back together
at the Sun N Fun engine work shop. I am a volunteer in that
work shop. OSH is too hostile and arrogant for my taste.
-- 
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

Paul, as others have mentioned has a very important point. Your going
to have to test this to be absolutely sure you know what is going to
happen. I'm sure you've heard of others overheating their rotaries and
making it back to the airport, but in each case the situation was
different. Lost belt, boiled over, lost water, leak in rad or whatever,
they may not all be the same as what you?re going to do. Secondly,
you need to make sure that this test is going to promote the Rotary,
not make it look worse. I can guarantee that if the latter happens
some people are going to be just 'slightly' ticked off. There have
been people like Paul, Tracy, Everett and many others who have
dedicated YEARS [probably 50+ or more combined] in getting the rotary
where it is today, just PLEASE don't mess it up and set us back years
in progress w/ Joe Public. BTW I think it?s a fairly common belief
that if Everett had been able to continue his work w/ the rotary that
we'd be miles farther down the road we're traveling. He was making
progress in this area by showing how it could perform, not by
destroying the engines to promote their staying power.

One last note, I'm sure that turning peoples heads and making them
think by doing a "in your face demo" will get some people looking,
but I still don't think you'll get the gratifying charge of people
coming out and looking for a rotary for their plane. I can't think of
one thing that has been done in aviation which just pulled the masses
out and made them open their wallet. How long has Experimental aviation
been plugging along to get to the sales level's it is today?
[Since 1930's? 1903?] What other engine has shown sudden mass
acceptance and business success [other than the lyco's etc]? The
bottom line is nothing happens fast in aviation [accept aviating in
itself]. The advent of composites has been around since the 50's and
it took Burt Rutan, and a aircraft design which could do things that
no other plane could do w/ the same hp to turn peoples heads, still
it was years before the composite construction  was accepted as it is
today.

Two more cents...
Jarrett



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