To those that have had the unfortunate privilege of an in-flight rotary
 engine failure, has the prop windmilled the engine?  I'm wondering
because
 the engine would be turned at between two and three times the
engine rpm,
 which seems fast for windmilling.

 Also, because of the ratios, the prop's torque is diminished by the
gear
 ratio on the engine.  Making it easy for the engine to turn the
prop, but
 not the other way around.

 As a tangent thought, I would be tempted to put a prop/engine brake on
 certain light twins. Rather than a feathering constant speed prop.
 Stop the
 windmilling to lower the drag.  Save weight, complexity, and cost.  The
 brake could be very simple and light.



 Matt-


During flight testing, I would turn off the engine to test exactly
this.  For me, the prop would windmill above about 80kts.  During an
actual engine failure (due to lost coolant and subsequent lost
compression),  the engine windmilled until after touchdown.

--
David Leonard

Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY
http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net
http://RotaryRoster.net


Dave melted the rotor housing.

How long did the engine still run when you first noted it
over heating from loss of coolant Dave?

How did you like the KitPlanes art.?
There is a picture of Dave and his turbo charged rotary powered
RV6 on page 55.

Paul Lamar


I got maybe a minute or 90 sec from the first smell of coolant until
complete loss of power.  When I first smelled coolant I reduced power to
minimum flyable.

I still have gotten around to picking up a copy of kitplanes... really
need to...