Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #8484
From: Russell Duffy <13brv3@bellsouth.net>
Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] engine mount geometry
Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 18:26:38 -0500
To: 'Rotary motors in aircraft' <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Message

I am fabricating the bed mount plate for my 20B in an rv-8.  my understanding, from Tracy's advice, is to offset the engine about 1 1/2 degrees to the right if I use his 2.85 drive. 

 
Hi Kevin,
 
Sorry I didn't think of this before, but last weekend, I measured the offset of my friends RV-8 prop, but never did the math to see what it came out to be.  Basically, I put the prop horizontal, and measured from the tail, to each tip.  The difference was 2 inches, on a 74" prop, which works out to 1.55 degrees right offset. 
 
The reason I measured this was to see what his offset was, because he says he doesn't need any rudder in cruise.  My RV-8 also required no rudder in cruise, and neither of out planes had any offset in the vert stab.  Curiously, the same measurement shows that my RV-3 (-B drive) has 1.25 degrees of left offset, and I need a buttload of left rudder in cruise.  The only thing I can concluded is that there is right offset somewhere in the in the tail.  I can't tell if the vert stab is offset, but it might be.  There could also just be something crooked that I can't spot.  I didn't build the tail, and fuselage, or I'd know if offset was put in.  
 
Since I'm going to the -C drive later this Summer, I'm more than a little interested to see how the offset works out.  Since there already seems to be some other right offset force at work, I'll probably try flying the -C drive with the left offset still in the mount.  If I'm careful, it shouldn't be dangerous, and then I can decide if I need to remove the current offset.  If I have to remove it, I'll shim the mount a half inch on the left to do it.  I'll also reposition the cowl to keep everything lined up.  The prop won't quite be centered, but I defy anyone to notice.  
 
Cheers,
Rusty
 



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