Dr. Lamar,

I've been working on an F-1 rocket for about 10 years. Hell of a
lot of work. Ready to hang the engine and fly, then I lost my
job. Hmm... Forty grand for an engine, ten grand for a prop,
another ten grand for instruments. Not going to happen. I've
become a depression baby. NOW I understand my parents.

Read your article on Turbo-compound Wankels and looked at
the web site. Considering the cost of an IO-540, is
there any advantage to a Wankel from a financial
perspective (Help me to understand why a 250 horsepower
air cooled engine designed in the 1940's costs more
than a mobile home. And roller lifters for 2400 RPM I'm
supposed to think this is a good thing because the added
complexity is to offset the fact that people leave their
engines sitting so long that the lifters rust the cam).

Many Thanks and living the simple life,

Ralph Fairchild

Well most people on here asked the same questions.
The Wankel burns auto gas which is a 25% savings.

A brand new RX8 Wankel engine at Your local Mazda dealer is $5800.
If you have a buddy in the car repair biz the whole sale price
is $3800. However you will have to get a gear box for $3000
or make your own. Then there is the intake and ignition system.
Could cost you another $1200 or so off the shelf or make you own
for less than a couple hundred. All depends on your skills.
While you are laid off take a tig welding class and a class
in basic electronics. A class in machining would be handy
as you can use the schools machine tools to build a 250 HP
p-port engine.

Paul Lamar


The Rocket is setup for a parallel valve ("light weight") IO-540 with
a CS prop.  That's probably about 400lbs (guess) firewall-forward.
That's probably about 100lb's heavier than a 13b?  Turbocharge it...
Electrically adjustable prop.


Matt-