Hi Group, my name is Gonzalo, I’m from Chile, building a Cozy MK IV and
new in this group.

As you can imagine. Although I have a couple of years left of building,
I’m moving ahead looking for engine options. Of all the alternatives
I’ve founded in the web, always I come back to the same two options: the
XP-360 and the Rotary.

The XP-360 represent, I think, the “traditional approach”, while the
Rotary is like the new era. I’ve been reading a lot, and I think I can
resume all my reading in one statement: the users of traditional general
aviation engines (Lyc type) says that if I go with the rotary, I’ll
expend more time trying to make it working than actually flying, so,
after a while, I’ll become so tired that I’ll move to the Lyc type
anyway, because the Rotary is less reliable.

I’ve meet Bulent Aliev, a very nice guy who showed me his aircraft
(very, very nice) and he had a Rotary, and after 20 hour he moved to a
XP-360. He told me that there are too much electronics involved with the
Wankel. He told me that If I want to fly, use the Lyc.

On the other side, Bulent told me that the factory of the XP-360 is
broke, so, the warranty is no longer valid. (supposed to be 3 years)

One very important issue I think is the maintenance and replacement
parts. Aviation engines are SO expensive, while I think that the Rotary
might be cheaper.

Also, I would like to have some information about some issues that the
Lyc. says are the weak points of the Wankel, like high operating RPM,
difficulties for cooling, too much electronics, and others…

At the end, to be honest I like very much the Rotary idea, so I’m asking
you for opinion and experience, since I think that almost all the people
who say that the Rotary doesn’t work actually has no experience with it.

Thanks a lot for your time.

Gonzalo

Santiago - Chile

Bulent was using one type of EFI that takes a lot of time to tune
and wire up. Carbs will work fine on a rotary if you don't want
the electronics. I suggest two 48 mm Mikunis with a p-port
configuration or two Ellisons. http://www.ellison-fluid-systems.com/

High operating RPM is a joke. One cannot compare a rotary with a piston
engine when it comes to RPM. Rotaries are more like turbines than
piston engines. They do not have the high inertia loads from connecting rods and
pistons.

Read http://www.rotaryeng.net/Rotar-v-Piston.html

We have the cooling system nailed :)

Paul Lamar