I am calling the ZBasic system the
"Home made comprehensive engine control system."
and I have uploaded it to the web site for
the new subscribers so they can see the back ground.
It is very much a work in progress.

http://www.rotaryeng.net/web-site-ver.pdf

Kind of like the unified field theory for engine control :).
It does it all! EFIS and unlimited engine data acquisition.

Read this first so you can understand what we are working
on for open source ignition systems and fuel injection.

Paul Lamar

Hi Paul!

Just for discussion: Automotive Controller Area Network
(CAN) usage in aviation (not just for homemade FADEC but
also for other devices).

On the market there are small format motherboards with CAN
port installed onboard. By my opinion PCI slot contacts are
too sensitive for aviation usage. Also the orthogonal
position of PCI card regarding to motherboard is not the best one.

B.r.

Viktor


I have moved away from the PC mother board solution for other
reasons. I think I could have solved the PCI contact problem with
a bit of innovative mechanical support for the PCI board position.

The rotary vibration level is very low. Perry Mick has been flying
for 16 years with the rotary engine solidly bolted to the air frame.
Not only that he has a stock Mazda RX7 instrument panel solidly
bolted in as well.

I do agree the form factor is less than ideal.

I don't see the need for CAN. Am I missing something? What
application did you have in mind? The Atmel board has one
USB and two RS232's which looks like enough communication right
at the moment.

BTW I am updating http://www.rotaryeng.net/web-site-ver.pdf
on a daily basis.

I have no intension of doing a FADEC as there are situations
that require pilot adjustments. Even though there will be
auto lean the pilot will be able to over ride that.

This system is so modular however that someone could
implement that if they wished. Both the ignition system, injector
system and RPM counter will work with any computer that has
parallel port capability. The current Atmel board will not
be around forever. In fact there is a more powerful version
in the works as we speak.

Paul Lamar


Hi!
If I understand properly you have some mixture between manual
and automatic control with "glass" instruments - very good idea.

I like very much Perry Mick experience - 16 years without dampers and
without losing significant electrical contact, hats down.  This
is additional evidence  that rotary engines are extremely
competitive for aviation propose.

snips.....

Viktor

I am jazzed. Don Kinzer taught me to how use the ATMel I/O registers
directly and I am stunned. Who ever heard of reading in 8 bits
into BASIC in less than one usec.

I am stunned.

It is at least ten times faster than the serial USB port because
if you comment out "val = Register.PINH" the scope trace
hardly changes. That means just taking a bit low and then high
takes at least 10 usec. while reading in 8 bits parallel probably
takes much less than one usec. I could do ten in a row
and see what happens but I am very very happy with less
than a usec.

This greatly simplifies my hardware on the sending end such as the
RPM module and the injection triggers as no need to serialize
and handle the serial hand shaking. We will still use that
for talking to  the net books as unfortunately, and generally
speaking, computers don't come with parallel ports anymore.

Thanks again for your help Don.

Paul Lamar