Listers,

For those that have asked(or will)

The engine for this aircraft actually has a long history.  It started out as one of the much vaunted Jim Rahm "EngineAir" engines.  When it came to our shop it did not run and a number of items needed to be upgraded.  Fourtunatly our test pilot Doug Pohl now produces an upgraded version of the engine and provided us with much need help in completing the engine side of this project.  His company is called "Silver Wings Aviation".  We removed the engine from the airframe to accomplish these tasks while the airframe was being overhauled.  The panel that was in the aircraft was actually caving in on itself and there were only a few circuits that actually worked.  We built an entirely new panel for the airframe.  The wings were a bit more invovled as the last builder did the wing closing but used an unknown product for fuel tank sealant.  This product dried up and cracked like the desert floor, the owner in frustration further complicated the matter by pouring a PRC compound through the filler neck and rotating the wings.  Of course this did not cover all possible nooks and so only ended up making the situation worse.  I de-skinned the wings(saved the old ones for reuse) and when you put your hand down in a fuel bay and rubbed back and forth, this stuff just comes off like cornflakes, all over the place!!  The PRC(for where it went) was on top of this and was a hard rubbery substance.  I should have taken stock in 3M for all the 2" 36 grit pads I went through cleaning this situation up.  Anyway, back to the engine, all aluminum block and heads, twin intercoolers, single turbo charger.  375 cubes and 420HP  full power for the engine is 4900RPM's and 40"MAP.  All electronic control by two computers (one primary one backup) they adjust and fire the ignition and do various other mundane tasks.  Engine weight all dressed out is 630lbs, it holds a gallon of coolant(pre-mix Dexcool) and 10 qts of Rotella T 10W-40 oil.  The Gear box main reduction is 1.19 to 1 and we are currently swinging a 5 blade MT.  For all of our ground testing and now about an 45 min of flight time this weekend, the engine is looking and sounding and running very well, this being the hybrid that it is however, who knows at this point how long it will last.  I must say, as in my original posting, the prop-gearbox-engine combo was very accurately balanced using our Microvib II and also have sampled the harmonics of the engine several times and those levels(even inside the gearboxs) are very low.  We will continue to monitor those parameters as often as is sensible.  We had a slightly high oil temp during our two flights this weekend but think we have solved that problem.  Will continue test flying in the morning.  Though we have high hopes, we still cross our fingers.

Arnold Holmes