Rotary on a Sparrowhawk

[lanichol]

Has everyone seen this.

http://rotaryaircraftengines.com/news.htm

[route66]

Sure hope they put some support for the crankshaft pulley. Could be ugly.

[dragonflyerthom]

Wish I could affore one of em. The 270 hp is just what the mechanic ordered.

[Timchick]

Someone earlier posted a link to their photos from Oshkosh of that. Looks pretty sweet. Here's a couple:

[Alteshinken]

There is now a low-quality video of that Sparrowhawk flying with the rotary engine at http://www.rotaryae.com/

Go to Latest News on the menu. The video is at the bottom of the Latest News page.

The belt drive PSRU, the prop, the pre-rotator, even the radiator and mufflers are standard Sparrowhawk. We made an adapter plate for mounting and had to adjust the overhead arm that holds the stabilizer. Otherwise, the rotary engine just replaced the Subaru 2.2 engine that was originally on this gyro. The performance was about the same. A turbocharged twin rotor engine would give this fairly heavy gyro way better performance.

Also, since the engine is way narrower, much more air gets to the prop. We are thinking that a wider prop would take more advantage of this as well as the better low-end torque of the rotary engine, but we haven't tried that yet.

[Steve McGowan]

He can tell you what the engine can and will do...

As for me:...(and my Opinion)

I shall Breed a Mazda Rotary with my Sparrow Hawk when the 2.5 Subaru gives up.

Power can and will get you into / out of trouble. The standard Rotary is HEAVY, and the pictured one is much lighter in weight from what I'm told by Atkins. It does look good doesn't it !!

I will not attempt to use a belt drive. on the Mazda for training. I will use a direct drive such as the Ross.. Not many of them around anymore since Mr.Sid Ross passed away a few years ago.

I don't believe the belt drive itself will tolerate the SNAP from
1800-2000 RPM at idle --to 7200 RPM in a breath.. it can and will break a belt or snap a crank with the side load which is Not the natural use of any automotive engine..

The 68 1/2 , 14' pitch....4 blade Warp Drive is restriced in length due to the keel of my Parson's Trainer.

We lovingly call "the Black".

After that,,, all the Sparrow Hawk will need is

JUMP TAKE-OFF ....:rapture:

Steve

[Rotornut]

Old Black! MJ :)

[Jason O]

If your are interested in rotary engines, go to Real World Solutions (google it) and they have everything you need for rotary engines on aircraft.

[automan1223]

Sure hope they put some support for the crankshaft pulley. Could be ugly.

Without a support outer bearing that shaft would have to be very heavy and meaty, or it will let go.

It is the high rpms and heat that do the belts in.

J

[Brent_Brown]

If you look at the web site it has the outer bearing support. Just like it did on the Sub.

[PW_Plack]

It would have been nice to have audio on that video. I think the nature of the exhaust note will be of considerable interest. (Especially on the turbo!)

[Brent_Brown]

Jason this rotary should be 100 pounds lighter than the Car convertions

[Mike Schallmann]

I belive it was Lou Ross -- and its been quite a few years ago --you might want to try Tracy Cook as he makes a planetary drive for a Mazda--

[dimwit]

Jason. That's a good website. I checked out real world solutions. You can engines, gear boxes pretty much the whole shooting match. Well worth looking into. Thanx.

[yukisan]

so cool engines