MessageI hope Mistral can keep their price competitive with Lycoming.
Than we shall see!!

TJ :))
  ----- Original Message -----   From: Russell Duffy
  To: Rotary motors in aircraft
  Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 5:11 PM
  Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Rationalization was [FlyRotary] Re: Questions from a
potential rotaryphile


  However, I believe,  there is plenty of objective evidence that says the
rotary is comparable or better than the Lycoming in just about any aspect you
want to consider.

  Hi Ed,

  I would agree with the above statement, but unfortunately, the one key area
where the rotary clearly hasn't demonstrated superiority is "FWF reliability".
The rotary group has had way too many failures in the past couple years, and
this needs to be the area we work on.  Most of it has been silly things, and I'm
certainly ashamed for my contribution to the problems.
  Even the Aviation Sport article supports that conclusion

  Does anyone have an electronic copy of this article they could send me?  I
guess I'm the only one who hasn't read it.

  certainly cost less (even if you have to buy engine parts new), etc., etc.
So no doubt there is some rationalization- but I'm not certain over what?

  I would argue cost, and have in the past.  I would (actually have) bet real
money that the $21k Lyclone I just installed on the RV-8 will work out to be
cheaper than a rotary engine installation over the few years (at least) that I
hope to fly this plane.  This factors in resale of course.

  IF somebody would take the rotary and produce a reasonably price FWF kit, I
believe you would find the rotary installations would expand exponentially.
Most folks are understandably a bit daunted by the challenge of designing and
putting that all together on their on.

  Amen brother!!!  This is certainly what would need to happen.   Powersport
made a great engine installation, but at such a high price that not too many
people bought it.  If someone like Eggenfellner would make a rotary package, it
would be expensive, but from a name that people know (whether they can spell it
or not), and trust.  I would certainly hope that people would see the value of a
rotary over the Subaru given the same price, and FWF producer.

  Better get started on that article now :-)  Actually, I was wondering if the
rotary group could put together it's own fly-off between similar planes.  It
would have to be well documented, but we have enough engineers here to make sure
of that.  Heck, in the not too distant future, we should ( <--- key word <g>)
have a 2 and 3 rotor RV-8 to test against my Lycoming.

  Cheers,
  Rusty (T-minus about 53 hours until I'm back home)

  PS, can't wait to hear how the 500HP Lancair flies!