Hi  Paul,  I am in Australia and a motor mechanic for the past 50
years and have NEVER  as much as taken the plugs out of a rotary
engine!!!  I had someone come to me once and asked if I could time the
engine, "no worries said I", but I looked and said I think you will have
to take it to Mazfix, he did not have a manual for it so I had no idea
where to start.
               Anyway I have been building a experimental helicopter
with my son and we now have it flying (just getting the bugs out), I was
interested in the comment by some how the Mazda rotary is unlikely to
seize or stop, because of lack of all those things like
pistons,rods,valves,camshafts, breaking, which can happen in a instant
in a recip. engine.
              Can the rotary motors be operated vertical, ie. with a
dry sump? Some of the engines pictured on your site appear to be dry
sump engines, I was thinking of possibility of installing in a Rotorway
helicopter, you do not know of anyone who may have tried/or succeeded in
fitting one?
               Their power to weight and apparent smoother drive along
with the ability to keep running appeals to me.

               I await your thoughts,   John Burey,   Charleville,
Australia.

We have several people interested in helicopters on here.
I don't think it would last vertically but I could be wrong.
Nobody has tried running a Mazda vertically to my knowledge.
I would think the 9 pound rotor would wear out the end housing
it was resting on but I could be wrong.

Somebody is working on some aluminum rotors which may change
the situation.

Of course you are not risking much money as it is unlikely to quit
running. It may wear the end housing more rapidly but these
end housing usually last up to 3000 hours.

Rotary cars typically go 300,000 miles if the oil is changed and
it is not allowed to over heat. I have owned six since
1972. Not all have had 300,000 miles :) Just one or two. My current
2004 RX8 only has 30,000 miles but I have a beater I drive
every day.

Paul Lamar