Paul, I am researching the Rotary engine for use in a Volmer
Sportsman (VJ-22). After searching the old Volmer archives, I came
across a fellow named Jim Moser an RV''r who installed a rotary in a
 VJ-22 air frame he acquired. The power plant seized at 400 feet in
takeoff, and crashed. He told me the a Apex seal seized, he then sold
of what had remained. Why am I not considering the Coot, well I do
not like fiberglass, and the VJ is scratch built wood, a very large
support network, with many craft flying, and it is easy to leave off
the wheel gear, no need for that where I operate.

Steve

He was wrong. The engine will not stop running if an apex seal seizes
in the slot.

The only way to seize a rotary is to run it without oil pressure. He
 made a mistake some where. He may have forgotten to tighten the
bolts on the oil pick up tube.

If he ran it plugs up in the VJ22 the oil pump may have failed to
suck oil because the pick up tube is two to three times  longer. A
worn oil pump is likely to fail to draw oil in those circumstances.

He ran his rotary in his  RV with plugs up which is asking for
trouble. Mazda did not design the engine to run lying  on its side.
Shear stupidity.

Here are some pictures of his plugs up RV.

Paul Lamar


Again, this group provides fantastic info on the Rotary/PSRU, and
now amphib fLying with a Rotary! Just what a guy like me needs.

Thanks  again , Steve Carlisle


BTW Finn Lassen started up his engine with no oil pressure due to a
plumbing error and the throttle wide open with no load. The engine
buzzed up to over ten thousand RPM and seized. He had to chisel it
apart. He rebuilt it and flew it for years. I think he used the same
e-shaft and rotors.

Paul Lamar

Hi the Volmer Sportsman was designed for an 85hp Continental, I
believe. Boats are very weight sensitive; the rotary is too heavy.


Murry I. Rozansky


Murray, yes, you are correct about the original design. The power
was increased to 100HP by Volmer, and many 125HP Lycoming GPU were
used in the tractor config, later than that numerous 150HP Lycomings
were used in the pusher config. All of these amphibs had no
structural or engine mount re-design. Now if one was to use center
and end housings made of aluminum, the weight would be close to those
aircraft engines. Also, I could build up a single rotor aluminum
based that would provide over 100HP. I think I have options with the
rotary, but we will see.

Thanks, Steve Carlisle

Hi Steve, a single rotor could work quite well; they are just more
difficult to build.  The problem with the heavier Lycomings on the
Sportsman are that they
eating into structural margins and/or useful load with the extra
weight and power.  They will also sit
deeper in the water and make it harder to get over hump speed.  What
is the point, to burn more fuel?

Murry I. Rozansky


Gents,

Tangent to the Volmer Engine discussion is the fact that it is potentially an LSA. I have a Volmer builder / pilot in my chapter and we have had that discussion. Apparently Volmer Jensen's original empty weight was 1430 lbs, and as I am told, their are some Volmer builders out their trying to get their empty weight as low as possible ( or practical ) to shoot for the 1430 lb number to have a decent useful load ( perhaps the  Volmer Club of America - Home <http://www.volmeraircraft.com/home <http://www.volmeraircraft.com/home>> is a place to start ). I don't know how plentiful or reliable they are, but had the 2 Rotor Norton made a greater splash on the scene eon's ago, one may ask if it had more umph would it be a fit for the Volmer, I am not sure it did.

Jonh Smith



Hi John, I have seen posts asking about LSA ability for the VJ-22. I bought a complete set of plans, with some metal hardware for the plane, gear brackets, wing mounts and other metal items. Included in the plans were build photographs and newsletters. The empty weight of the aircraft is 1000LBS, but according to the newsletter Volmer states 950LBS approx. It is also spec,d at 1500LBS gross, so your numbers seem off!

Thanks, Steve C?????? :)




The Rotary Engine News Letter. Powered by Linux. ACRE NL web site.
http://www.rotaryeng.net <http://www.rotaryeng.net/>You Tube http://tinyurl.com/beqqxas
Copyright 1998-2014 All world wide rights reserved.