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Bill,
I didn’t mean to imply that Alan built the FWF
stuff - I know that was all Powersport. The entire airplane was a work of art
with a completely aluminum cowl with an annular inlet. They wouldn’t make a
claim for FWF weight, but they did say the entire airplane was well under 700
pounds. A typical RV-3 is in the 730 pound range.
I met Alan and Everett at the Copperstate fly-in
in the mid 90s and talked their ears off.
So what does this your effort mean for the
current Powersport company? Are they dead and gone? Should we anticipate some
sort of legal battle over IP issues?
At the time that I talked with Alan and Everett
they still were not selling anything. The current owners of Powersport priced
themselves out of business (at least my business). For all of its warts, at
least when you pay 25K for a Lycosaur you know exactly what you are getting. A
FWF package such as the most recent Powersport, Eggenfellner, etc... that costs
as much as or more than the Lyc with relatively no track record is a dead end in
my book.
If you guys can come out with the pieces-parts to
duplicate that original engine or a complete engine, without a price tag that
breaks the bank, I'd think you'll have a winner. If the end result is in the
same ballpark as a Lyc, I'd stick with my $3200 Turrentine built
13B.
Mike
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 11:56 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: PP Housings
Mike,
The original PowerSport RV-3 was piloted by Alan. All
of the FWF systems were built by Everett and Steve. That airplane was a test bed
for the "Superlite" engine, which used Mazda rotors and housings but was so
modified that you couldn't recognize anything. The plane had the world record
for time to climb for prop driven small displacement aircraft for some time.
That plane was a screamer, both literally and figuratively. It had two
straight pipes dumping at the stock cowl exit. It would wake the dead. They had
to brace the cockpit floor to prevent trouble from the pulses loosening
rivets. Need I say a good muffler is in the works too? OK I am going
to check with Steve to see when we might be able to build some for the public.
As to the side plates, you can build them from aluminum, but there
is another solution that PS tried. They did a lightweight machined and
welded steel end plate only about 1-2 pounds heaver than the aluminum plate
and nitrideable just like the stocker. You would have to be running P-ports
though as there was no provision for side ports in these housings. Once I
have some quotes on the machining I'll give you some kind of price
ideas. I'm modeling the system and producing drawings for proper
produceability.
Bill
Bill,
So do you have an estimate on when these might
be available and at what price?
On a somewhat related note, anyone have any
experience with any aftermarket aluminum end/intermediate housings? I'd love
to build an all aluminum P-Port engine. The first rotary airplane I ever saw
was the original Powersport RV-3 that Alan Tolle built. That engine was all
aluminum and the airplane was so nice and light it was a rocket ship. Sign me
up!
Mike Wills
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 11:44 AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: PP Housings
In a message dated 2/14/2010 7:40:41 AM Pacific Standard Time, keltro@att.net
writes:
George,
Do you have any contact info for the ex "Powersport"
type PP housings ??.............
--
Kelly Troyer
"Dyke Delta"_13B
ROTARY Engine
"RWS"_RD1C/EC2/EM2
"Mistral"_Backplate/Oil Manifold
Kelly,
Not to butt in but I am working with one of the original PowerSport guys
and we are going to work out the layouts so we can have the P-ports done CNC.
These P-ports are properly sealed, using o-rings, no goo, not welded to the
internal steel. Everett Hatch and Steve Beckham work this out years ago and
they don't leak. We plan to change just slightly from the original design
putting the butterfly outside of the port, but still at the housing face to
allow good throttle response. This needs to be available to the guys running
in aircraft. We want to make a safe and robust system.
Bill Jepson
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