I can assure you that while you might need to ground one to 'make it quit',  there are lots of ways it can (and does) quit on its own without your assistance.

There's a reason that mags are the only truly redundant item that's standard equipment on a basic FAA-blessed aircraft, & it isn't because of big combustion chambers.

FWIW, I won't be trying to home-brew a lasar ignition system. But if multiple car makers are taking a serious look, it's a pretty safe bet that they are confident in both the efficiency gains and the potential reliability (they really do hate warranty returns, and EPA performance requirements last a looong time on new cars). Once a system has been on the road for a few years, I'd sure be interested in the motor that's designed for it.

After all, what's the MTBF for rotary plugs in aviation use, 30-40 hrs? How much longer until someone gets the dreaded 'SAG' while trying to climb out of a valley?

Charlie


On 04/14/2012 10:03 PM, CozyGirrrl@aol.com wrote:

LOL, and so some new fangled laser system yet to be proven is going to cure all of our ills? Lets just say it will be fun to sit back and watch with optimism for awhile. The early adopters can tell us all about it.

 

I am curious, we tout our rotary systems and our EFI over conventional aircraft systems, yet for every wire we have there are two terminations, how many of the wires hooking up our systems are critical to keep it running? Got a number?, multiply that by two. Terminations are a huge liability.

A mag has to be grounded out to make it quit. Not saying it is better, but from this one angle it sure is simpler.

 

Chrissi & Randi
www.CozyGirrrl.com
CG Products, Custom Aircraft Hardware
Chairwomen, Sun-N-Fun Engine Workshop

 

In a message dated 4/14/2012 7:28:10 P.M. Central Daylight Time, echristley@att.net writes:

On 04/14/2012 11:39 AM, CozyGirrrl@aol.com wrote:

 High voltage is cheap and has worked well for over 100 years.

/end

 

It's her last paragraph that concerned me the most. I spent 20 years working with HID systems focused into fiber optics. Her last sentence says it all.

I am not against innovation but I am very cautious.

Chrissi & Randi

She is correct, except that word "well" has a very fuzzy meaning.  There are many levels of "well".  Magnetos work well.  Points work well.  Electronic ignition works well.  Capacitive discharge works well.....