Hey Rotary guys, hi Paul,

Another surveying thread here.. sorry about all the questions lol

How many W8... not particularly W10... Tailwinds have been converted
to rotary successfully? I've seen a couple online at least but
there's not much more info as far as I'm able to dig.


A while ago, when I was a newly minted taildragger pilot, I purchased
an old W8 and it's been sitting around not flying as much as it could
be. I'm planning on converting it to a mazda once I get more info. I
have a lycoming in it now and I have no idea what to do with the
mounts...anything FWF at all.

I'm heading to university this fall and I'm in no hurry to start the
project but it would be nice to start the planning so I can yank the
piston and sell it--I won't be flying much in school. It would be
nice to work on it on the weekends eventually.

Kim Kilk

Over the years we have had a lot of interest in Tail Wind I don't
recall anyone flying one yet.

Unless you can tig weld I highly recommend our universal motor
mount. See the attached pdf.

Don't believe everything those knee jerk liberal professors tell you
:-) They are in the commie  propaganda business :-) None of them have
ever worked for a living  at a real job.

Paul Lamar



Okay, cool, thanks for the pics, it doesn't look too bad to do at
all. I don't have the best tig welding skills around so I'll go with
the universal mount. It looks very well designed! Maybe some tailwind
guys will chime in eventually... or not.

I think I saw a site selling custom made cowlings for rotary
installations, I guess I could get them to make me one to avoid doing
all of that composite work myself. If not or if they charge too much,
then oh well. I'll do it myself.


By the way, haha.. don't worry..I'll take those "commies" with a
grain or two of salt. I'm just going for that sheepskin at the end of
the 4 years... and to have an excuse to play with all their equipment
(not that they'll probably let me... they won't). That's why I took
gap years! I did it to gain and re-enforce the solid footing of what
I stand for as a person and an engineer... I'm not all soft and
malleable like the fresh out of high school kids. :-)

Kim Klik

The rotary is real small. If the Intake system is designed right it will
probably fit the stock cowling.

One of the main Tail Wind guys may be dead. Haven't heard from him in years.
He ran a Tail Wind news letter.  In twenty years a lot happens. He did all our motor mounts.
He built this adjustable mm welding jig. When he retired I invented the universal
mount to compensate and eliminate the need for this elaborate jig.
He also static tested the motor plate idea.

I have lost 3 very good friends. In some cases younger than me.

Obama nearly killed home built experimental aircraft because of the crappy economy.
Fortunately it is picking up again already under Trump.

Paul Lamar


   I have my own objections to the education system starting with the "no failure retard thinking"! A friend once said when a farmer goes to cut hay, he does not pick through the swath to get the sticks out. When he goes to feed the cows he does not pick through the bale to get the sticks out. He trusts the cows to eat the hay and spit the sticks out.
   When it comes to university you need to spit the "commie crap" out and just do what you need to to get the paper for the office wall.

   Dale Davies

   Rhino 3D looks awesome.. I want to learn it. Those 3Ds give me good hope that I'll have no problem sticking a rotary in the cowl.. easy peasy. Thanks for sharing!

   Hey by the way, Dale Davies, I like what you wrote about the cows and sticks. It was very well put. :-) I'll remember that when suffering through those gen eds especially.

   Kim Klik

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