Twin engines????

[AirScooter]

Has anyone ever put twin engines on a gyro? Both tied to one prop? Or otherwise? Pusher configuration. I am sure it would be a tuning, and power transmission nightmare, but just wondered if it had been tried?

[phantom]

over the years I have built several multi engine gyros and most of them failed to do what I wanted , to fly with one engine out. The only machine that I could depend on to keep climbing after an engine failure had 6 250cc engines and it could fly with any two engines out and if the top and bottom center engines were shut down it was still a good performing gyro, if 4 were shut down it glided best with the bottom left and right running, if just the center engines were running the glide was much steeper so you could say on our pusher gyros we have the engines in the worse place possible if it is a high thrust line machine.
norm

[Alan_Cheatham]

Have a look at both pages of this thread:

http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16918

.

[AirScooter]

That parsons three seater was cool. I hadn't thought of the counter rotating props.

Imagine taking two 503s, laying them horizontal instead of vertical, butt the crankcases against each other. Have a gearbox including individual clutches for each engine, both engines driving one single four blade prop. If one engine failed the other would still run. ( i know flying parts from one could disable the other) Not sure it would be useful, but hey sometimes things you imagine aren't practical. Just wondering if it would work.

[REDHORSE556CES]

This is not a twin engine, but still an interesting concept....if it ever gets beyond the "concept" stage.

http://nasc.meil.pw.edu.pl/ACE.HTM

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by phantom

over the years I have built several multi engine gyros and most of them failed to do what I wanted , to fly with one engine out. The only machine that I could depend on to keep climbing after an engine failure had 6 250cc engines and it could fly with any two engines out and if the top and bottom center engines were shut down it was still a good performing gyro, if 4 were shut down it glided best with the bottom left and right running, if just the center engines were running the glide was much steeper so you could say on our pusher gyros we have the engines in the worse place possible if it is a high thrust line machine.
norm

Norman - that sounds amazing! Have you gat any pictures you can post? I'd love to see that setup.

[Arnie Madsen]

Originally Posted by phantom

over the years I have built several multi engine gyros and most of them failed to do what I wanted , to fly with one engine out. The only machine that I could depend on to keep climbing after an engine failure had 6 250cc engines and it could fly with any two engines out and if the top and bottom center engines were shut down it was still a good performing gyro, if 4 were shut down it glided best with the bottom left and right running, if just the center engines were running the glide was much steeper so you could say on our pusher gyros we have the engines in the worse place possible if it is a high thrust line machine.
norm

phantom .... (Norman) .... I am with Mark E on this one .... we would like to see pictures of your experiments , if you have them .... whether they were a successful or simply contributed to your experimental education.

By the way , I sure liked the recent video of you flying (with skis) over white snow with perfect blue skies.. Looks to me like rugged Labrador or something. Next time , after you dis-mount , exit and turn your helmet cam to the outside of your gyro .... it would be a rare sight to see a gyro on skis .... or pay somebody to dress warm and film you from the ground .... landing and take off. .....

Be sure to snap a shot of a thermometer too .... it will be sure to warm up Gabor as he endures winter in Florida .

[Janusz]

Photos from my archives. It was a rather bad idea.

Janusz

[AirScooter]

I was thinking more along the lines of two engines running a single prop. Engines laid horizontal like an opposing 4 cylinder. But that is still a cool pic.

[phantom]

sorry no photos, back when I was doing a lot of experimenting I didn't even own a camera and that was partly because I didn't think very far into the future and also because of where I live, back then to get a roll of film developed you dropped it off at the nearest bay store that had a boat twice a year with supplies so if your film left on the fall boat you got your pics on the spring boat, it always makes me laugh when today I hear people in a panic because due to bad weather the plane missed a week of mail.

Norm

[phantom]

When this topic first came up I listed a lot of my engine experiments but I think my post was to long because when I tried to submit I wasn't loged in any more and when I loged in again my post dissappeared. I did try two engines and one prop and it is easiest with one above the other or you have to put carbs on the bottom of one or repin the pistons and turn the cylinders around.

Norm

[phantom]

the simplest twin setup that I have tried was props overlapping with engines side by side and the failure that I will try again is the tandem 503's, it was smooth and powerful but the gearbox couldn't handle the power for more than a few hours(early A box) this time I will be trying a C box and I now have a video camera so I will be able to share the look and the sound of timed twin 503, they really scream.

Norm

[AirScooter]

Norm,

I think tandem 503s would be awesome. Can you describe the tandem setup you are talking about? Sounds like you will run them thru one C box, so how will you tandem them together? Sounds interesting and fun.

[phantom]

the engines were mounted on a mounting beam on the bottom and I used all long cylinder head nuts to tie the engines together with a plate on top, I made an adapter that fit the pto of the front engine and attached to the flywheel of the back one, each engine had one carb and had its own eipper type muffler. This was very smooth with lots of power, to much far the A type box.

[AirScooter]

How did you handle timing?