>> > 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

Why are you flying behind an engine that you have such little faith in?

Keith

Actually I'm not currently flying behind a Rotary, although I'd love to be!
Keith, don't take my misgivin's of your test as a lack of faith in the Rotary.
I believe that it is the best alternative engine we've got and I do plan to
fly behind one in the future. However, I won't be flying behind it because it
will fly at any power setting after loosing its coolant. I believe in it because
it has the best power to weight ratio of any alternative engine out there, I believe
in it because it is compact, it is cheap, and it is robust. If I was shopping for
an alternative engine, seeing that a Rotary can run for several minutes
before it pack's it in would be interesting but not the factor which would swing
me to go Rotary. As you've stated most alternative engines [w/ the exception
of some Subee's, Vw and Corvair] are water cooled. This mean's that each
would need a properly designed cooling system, I believe this should be
approached from a proper design/clean sheet perspective. If you design
an installation which can't cool the engine and you blow the engine, your
out the cost of the engine, possible damage to the airframe as well as
needing to re-design the cooling system, not to mention the lost flying.
The same goes for oil coolers, you don't plan to use a small cooler and
'see how it goes' then get a larger one when it doesn't [ as well as rebuild
your engine] and test again?

It's also worth noting that I live in an area which is flat, open and has few tree's
We have a road every 1-2 miles as its all farm land. Landing a airplane on
a gravel road is a non-event.

Trust me, I have complete faith that the Rotary is the 'right' engine,
I just don't think your going at this the correct way, and I'd hate
to see the Rotary's reputation tarnished due to someone's
careless 'live' testing. Esp since I plan to start producing
components for the rotary and its installation's in the near
future.

If you want to do a proper test, go buy a subee and do
the same test side by side.  You'd noted that the all the other engines
wouldn't last a minute w/ no coolant, can you back this up w/
test data? Another thing is, the test should
show how much power each engine is producing. An idling
engine is usless even if it can run for days w/out any coolant.
It's just taking you to the scene of the crash..

Again, I'd ask you to do this test before hand so you know the
results. My wife works for a lawer and it's been said, don't
ask a question you don't already know the answer to [in court]
why do you think this is? No-one wants to get thrown
off balance by an answer they weren't expecting.

Don't do a live demonstration, to which you don't know
the absolute answers to. You'll just end up doing more harm
than good.

Don't miss the forest for the trees.

Jarrett



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