So one amusing anecdote from our weekend of running the PPort engine.

It should come as no surprise that sitting next to a running PPort as Paul
was doing is not conducive to ordinary conversation.  Reducing the exhaust
tube on my install has made a noticeable difference in noise level, but none
the less a rotary in full song is not a quiet animal.  My attempts to
convince Paul to wear some ear muffs were in vain.

During the earlier (low rpm) runs, Paul was in his accustomed position next
to the cowling keeping one hand on the laptop, and monitoring the data as it
streamed in.  We got into a convention where I would have a hand stuck out
the side of the canopy & would flash finger signs to Paul on the current RPM
we were running.  He would give a thumbs up or down to increase or decrease
RPM, and make the throat-cutting motion when we could shut down.

Well, this system worked fine right up until we got to the end of the WOT
runs. In this case I was treated to the sight of Paul sitting fully engulfed
in the 6600 RPM prop blast, his clothes sort of puffed-up like the sta-puff
marshmallow man.  He had a death-grip on the laptop in one hand & the mouse
in the other to keep them from blowing away, methodically waving his chin
back & forth in the cutoff motion.  Everything that could flap in the
breeze, was in fact flapping in the breeze.

That my friends is dedication to the cause...

Mark (Rocky Mtn High)