flyrotary@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

I agree Lynn. Of the two essential elements - fuel and fire. It appears that the fuel side of the equation is more likely to be the culprit than the fire - redundant spark plugs and igniters probably help on the fire side.

Harking to your mention of full-power fuel flow, one of the old time checks that experimenters made was to elevate the aircraft nose ( or more likely lower the tail into a hole) to reach a climb attitude and then run the engine at full power for a period of time sufficient to show that the fuel system could provide the required fuel flow at that attitude.

But, I think with the advent of electric boost and fuel pumps few folks do that any more.

----- Original Message -----

From: Lehanover@aol.com

To: Rotary motors in aircraft

Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 8:31 AM

Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Hairy Chested Heroes

In a message dated 5/11/2008 4:22:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time, bartrim@gmail.com writes:

may well come in the form of an engine failure just after takeoff.

Actually the most likely cause of power loss after takeoff will be fuel management related in all cases. Even for piston engines. The large displacement piston engines require huge amounts of fuel for take off at sea level just to avoid detonation. Turbocharged engines even more. So, if your fuel system has never been set up to provide the excess fuel, you may be in the red on every take off. This is the Bendix style dribble fuel injection.

The rotary will run with gusto well over rich, as well as well over lean. Much longer life available at over rich at full throttle best power, However, that is an EGT problem for the apex seals, and leaning past best power reduces EGT, so overlean operation is not a problem at all. Over lean to the point of cutoff may be a bit crisper than a piston engine, but does no damage.

So even a fuel fault would probably get you further along behind (or ahead of) a rotary than a piston engine.

And, if you get the fuel back on in time, there will still be an engine out there to use it. In so many cases, the difference between an embarrassing call to the insurance company or two funerals has come down to another second of power, or less than 24 inches of altitude.

Peter was kind enough to leave out "Insane and Lemmings."

Lynn E. Hanover

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