----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2005 12:41
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Home again, home
again!
Wife, drove me and my flight gear to aircraft
getting there around 1100. By time finished loading, reinstalling
the avionics - the @$#%^ transponder wouldn't slide all the way back in an
engage the pins it was 1130 and the wind was picking up. - I
figured I'd stay low enough and out of class B airspace anyway.
I told her that she could pick me up back at
the home airport in NC if I didn't have any problem - she said I wouldn't
have any problem. Curious, I asked how did she know I wouldn't have
any problem - "Headwind" she said. Women, got to love
em.
Cranked up the engine and let oil and coolant
temp rise to 120F and taxied to runup at end or runway. Everything
looking good, I restricted takeoff rpm to 5400 (6000 ft long runway),
still accelerated rapidly and lifted off. Kept it low until hitting
140 mph hoping to maintain good cooling. However, coolant temp rose
to 220F during the circuits of the airport as I slowly climbed. I
pulled the power back to 4500 rpm and the temps stabilized at 210F.
Oil temp was around 185F. Normally coolant is in syn with the oil or
perhaps 5F higher. After flying for approx 20 minutes coolant temps
were at 200F, so slowly coming down.
This is pretty much what Tracy reported when
first flying with the Renesis engine - tight engine, more power, more
heat. So it appears that this engine is much tighter. I can
now maintain level flight burning 4 gph when it used to take 5.5
gph. Can't wait until its broken in a bit more to see what the top
end is. Overhaul kit from Real World Solutions and parts from Bruce
T appear to have come together in a tight nit engine.
But, it does appear the small cooling
inlets (which I had planned to open up a bit) are too small for the new HP
being produced (are you listening, AL {:>)?. Also, several people
mentioned after I arrived back at GooseCreek that the exhaust was
deeper and louder. Even my wife
mentioned it no longer had that "whinny" sound.
So thanks for all the well wishes from
everyone, advice, and engineering consultation on the cause. I have
mailed seals to Tracy and Bob Perkinson, so that should provide some
"harder" data on the status of the seals.
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