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BTW, excellent news from the
> Sun'n'Fun front... Tracy won the best automotive engine award, and Bill
Eslick
> an outstanding aircraft award. Five rotary RVs at S'n'F, two of which
were
> award winners. How extremely cool. I'm sure Tracy and Bill will correct
me
> if I got the actual awards wrong (still asleep...) but the important part
is
> these are our guys! Send along your congrats when you have the chance.
(Back
> to S'n'F in awhile......)
>
> <Marv> ]
Thanks to all who sent congrats and some great pix of the rotary RV
formation flight & Sun 100 race.
Here are a few more details on the race I sent in response to a comment on
cooling problems by Paul.
Paul Lamar wrote:
> Not really. He cheated with a water spray. OK for racing as it only
> took 26 minutes to go 100 miles. The duct tape holds the water
> spray pipe in place.
>
> Paul Lamar
True, there was a simplified version of my "Oshkosh ground cooling system"
installed. Took about 15 minutes to put in. But if anyone thinks serious
cooling problems can be solved this easily, think again.
In years past the temperature at Sun 'n Fun has been in the 90's so I stuck
on the water plumbing as a last ditch measure. Not really a spray-bar, just
a 3/32" ID squirt nozzle that did not distribute the water. Very
inefficient way to do it.
As it turned out, the weather was mild on race morning and no aux cooling
was needed. Oil temp stabilized at 205 and water temp at 193, completely
acceptable temps for racing. On the last leg of the race I turned on the
water to see the effect. Oil temp dropped about 10 - 12 degrees but I
didn't get around to measuring the water temp drop during the "heat of
battle". Too busy watching the two planes I passed and staying clear
of the third that I caught up to at the finish line. I was afraid that I
would be disqualified for busting the 500 foot minimum at the finish when I
had to duck below him.
Other factors in the race included my "race tape" over the large gaps
between cowl & fuselage which began pealing off immediately after takeoff,
the draggy external muffler which I left in place (everyone said mine was
the quietest plane in the race) and the economy cruise fuel mixture that I
ran. My plan was to run at 16 GPH for the race but I increased it to 17
when the air speed started dropping due to increased drag of the pealing
tape. (amazing what a difference it made!) At best power mixture my engine
is burning 20 GPH at WOT at sea level. The veteran racers flew at tree top
altitude while I flew between 1000 - 1800 feet for most of the race.
I've always said that top speed numbers on airplanes aren't good for
anything other than bragging rights around the hangar (still do!) but I must
admit that it was a blast flying in the race and I'll do it again next
year.
Tracy Crook
tcrook@rotaryaviation.com
www.rotaryaviation.com
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