Paul,

I was running between buildings at work today thinking about how to go fast
and it occured to be that the best way to get four rotors in an existing
aircraft--Nemesis NXT or Lancair legacy--would be to use two 13Bs side by
side with the shafts going to a common gearbox.  They do the same thing with
twin-pack turboshaft engines.  It has to have a gearbox anyway and clutches
on the engines would allow you to get back if you lost one engine.  Then
again, you could use two three-rotor engines.  This would also open the
possibility of contra-rotating propellers without any clutches, which might
be better on a very small airplane with a LOT of power.

Steve Brazil

You don't lose rotary engines. You lose fuel supply or ignition and that
is it :)

Paul Lamar

I know that they are fundamentally bulletproof, which is why I'm
investigating them.  I think this is a way to get four or six rotors in an
existing aircraft.  Even with two 20Bs, it would fit the existing envelope
of the TIO-540.  The contra-rotating propellers would be a good thing
too--imagine having 800 hp available in something like the Nemesis and not
have to deal with the torque.  That thing would accelerate like a funny car!

Steve


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