snip

That's an interesting question..  I suspect those
innovations are
allowed because nearly every major engine
manufacturer has been making
engines with those features since the 1930's (some
earlier, some
later)..  Eliminating them from racing would be
tough.  Of course,
NASCAR still runs carburetors...


Matt-


One has to see what the aim is behind all the
racing. It's selling cars!!!
Since there are no rotaries in production in the US
no promotion is
necessary.
If the rotaries win then what? embarrassment, red
faces, etc., even
worse, if customers ask for a rotary engine in their
next car.

The racing is by no means an open contest for
advancements in engine
technology in general.
It is a sport to keep the audience drawn to what is
being sold and to
keep it all in the family.

It’s probably of no use to complain about the

car

guys and their racing
habits. It really is an uphill battle lost already
30 years ago when the
big car companies dropped the Wankel.
That is for the automotive world.

Flying is a whole different matter. In aircraft it
does have its
advantages, I think, mainly that of high endurance
at high power levels
and a lower failure rate. (No valves etc.)

What would be needed for it to succeed would be that
Continental and/or
Lycoming offer the Wankel as an alternative. This is
however very
unlikely. (It might be that their core business
would suffer). I don't
think we actually want that either. It would take
all the fun out of
home build Wankels and Paul might be out of a job.
:)

The best thing really, in my opinion, is to just
continue of what is
being done, making it better and tell the world what
a good engine the
Rotary really is for this purpose.
It is just a pity that we have to rely on Mazda's
road engine for
conversion.
Complete FWF packages are needed or at least
packages for various
components such as cooling, ignition, exhaust
systems, engine mounts
etc. People are already doing that like Tracy,
Mistral, Jerry and some
Europeans.

Keep on plugging away and forget about car racing
for promoting the
Wankel. It has to come from within the enthusiast
groups and from the
users.

Let's just push ahead and make as much noise as
possible about the rotary.

Let’s use it in aerobatics, having two, two

rotor

engines in tandem,
where the rear engines drives the shaft of the front
engine. Like a four
rotor split up in two, or use even two three rotor
units. That should do
it and provide the 600 hp or so required for Mr.
Tucker. The long nose
on his plane would provide the space.


Rolf Pfeiffer

Rolf

I like the long shaft idea to connect two

10 foot carbon shaft might do it. Two duals or
triples...might be a good way to power a number of
APUs as well.

The torque on the shaft would be reduced in the middle
but it would have to be computer managed for maximum
efficiency.

David Mathes



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