What's wrong with a Hirth F30

I don't think the corvair will cool well as a slow pusher. until now the tractor gryos have not been used. Now that they are coming back the Corvair makes a good motor for it.
 
Maybe for a pusher you could leave the fan on the corvair engine!:D
 
The specs look good on them, it just makes me wonder with all the smarts people before us that built and flew gyros, and the way these people would do anything they could to find and use a affordable and light and powerful powerplant, that we don't see any gyros around with Corvair engines. It is as if there is something about them that made people not want to use them. Hopefully the few people like you and Brent Brown that are trying to put a gyro together with Corvair power will have success. I hope it works, as it really does look like a good alternative engine.
 
GyroRon said:
I think it was one of those old Straight six outboard motors, or perhaps it was a four banger....

The old rotorway helicopters used a 115 hp V-4 Evinrude outboard engine for power.
Click to expand...

Yep and you could not keep one cool for anything,unless you had a big heavy 3 core truck rad. and did some internal tricks to the engine.

the first single seaters used a smaller engine, the Scorpion too used the 125 and 140 v-4 and called it the vulcan v-4 that was based on the O.M.C. engine. A freind of mine has a out board powered Scorpion that he made his own water pump for for a mazda truck water pump and he claims it cools good.
I think with some designing you could mke something work. and OMC 140 v-4 laying flat with a redrive would be a site for sure, maybe have the redive mounted between the v and the engine mounted plugs down.

Then you could use down draft carbs on top. the V-4 out of one of my Scorpion,I never realy weighed,but I could pick it up and carry it around the shop,so I am est. about 75 pound maybe less,and that was with the steel enegine mount cradle and water pump and header installed.
 
We used to have a guy in our club that flew a corvair -- he flew it for many years before he finally gave up flying --it ran perfectly --it leaked a little oil from time to time -- It would have been more popular but the subs caught on and the corvair fell by the wayside --It has been used for low and slow aitcraft --Bernie Pietenpol used it his designs
 
www.flycorvair.com

www.flycorvair.com

Check out this web site, this man has spent the last 10 years developing the Corvair for aviation use. There flying many slow and fast FW, tractor and pusher. It seems to me that there is much discussion on gyro layout and engineering,but not much on engines.
The threads on engines are usually about high RPM,geared engines, with to much goodies hanging on them to go wrong,expensive,and not nearly as strong and torquee as the Corvair.
I think there is a place for the Corvair engine on some gyro configurations.
J bird
 
"It is as if there is something about them that made people not want to use them."

Ron, if you made a sharp turn on the ground with a gyro with a Corvair engine, your wheel would tuck under and you'd turn over. At least that's what it said in Motor Trend......or somewhere......never mind.
 
You might want to call the folks at Air Command and talk to them. They are going from the F-30 to the Subaru engine. I'm thinking there is a reason.
 
j bird said:
Ron, hopefully sometime this year, you just might get to see a Corvair on a gyro!!!!!!!!!!!

And,if all goes well, mabe I'll let you fly it


j bird
Click to expand...

I was just reading through this thread doing some research on the corvair engine. @JBird, have you succeeded in your corvair-gyro endeavor?
 
I hope you get a reply.
This thread is 9 years old.

My experience after over 40 years messing with gyros, I have only seen one gyro 'Vair and that was probably nearly 40 years ago. I have very seldom seen them on airplanes as well. Maybe I don't get out enough? :)
 
OK let me elaborate, my Dominator has been finished for a few years, has it's airworthiness certificate. I started my training in Nov. 2010, 8 hours with Menzie, long expensive drive to AR. gyro was not quite done at this time, spent 2011 finishing gyro, went back for training 2012,13,14, with Mike in UT. 18 hours. Because I spread the training out (I won't go into that), I'll need more hours for sign off to solo.
I have no doubt the Corvair will work just fine, Corvairs are flying several hundred experimental fixed wing.
 
F-23

F-23

WOW 9 years old. I read the entire thread and did not see that. But it did bring up a question in my mind now that were here.

How about the F-23 50 HP. Is that a problem engine also? Same issues? I ask as I was looking at an Phoenix 103 ultra light that has one on it.

Mark
 
I tried different Hirth engines on the SnoBird line around 2000 and was not pleased with any of them. The F30 blew a cylinder in 5 pieces, without warning, and the factory rep blamed us. (we never did anything but plugs) I believe it was at the 87 hour mark. Since then I have heard of many others doing the same thing. Hirth redesigned the engine, but never said they were sorry or offered a refund. The cost to fix their problem was $4,000 IIRC, and the engine continued to give trouble. I would consider the infamous MAC as more reliable than a Hirth.
One good way to evaluate a engine for gyro use is to go to a fly-in and see what others fly. I remember a Bensen days were a new, hot engine was debuted on several gyros, each one had an engine failure before the show was over. They are no longer in production.
 
hirth

hirth

Fisher flying products has on their web. page picture of one of their koala 202 with hirth f23 installed,the guy claims it has over 700 hours without problems,i called the hirth and spoke with one of their guys regarding this engine being used on gyroplane,it looks like good replacement for 447 ,their is one guy who has f23 on pusher gyroplane unfortunately I cant find the way to contact him and ask few questions.
It seems like there is only some hirth engines with same problems.
The old line 27xx,other hirth line seem to be doing good,the old line of engines was replaced with new line now market as 3xxx .
One of very interesting think is that quicksilver airplanes now getting the f23 engines in kits ,quicksilver is also working on some sort of cooling fins for the engine ,since the engine is mounted on top of the wings lot of the incoming wind is gone before it reach the engine for cooling ,and counting only on prop it self is not working ,hope this will help
 
Thank you

Thank you

jany77 said:
Fisher flying products has on their web. page picture of one of their koala 202 with hirth f23 installed,the guy claims it has over 700 hours without problems,i called the hirth and spoke with one of their guys regarding this engine being used on gyroplane,it looks like good replacement for 447 ,their is one guy who has f23 on pusher gyroplane unfortunately I cant find the way to contact him and ask few questions.
It seems like there is only some hirth engines with same problems.
The old line 27xx,other hirth line seem to be doing good,the old line of engines was replaced with new line now market as 3xxx .
One of very interesting think is that quicksilver airplanes now getting the f23 engines in kits ,quicksilver is also working on some sort of cooling fins for the engine ,since the engine is mounted on top of the wings lot of the incoming wind is gone before it reach the engine for cooling ,and counting only on prop it self is not working ,hope this will help
Click to expand...

yes that does help Jan. I would never put one on on a gyro but this Phoenix 103 that is on Barnstormers has one on it. Just was wondering about the longevity.

BTW, I lived and worked in Monterey/Seaside/PG area for about 3 years. Love that place. Started my PPL in FW there in 1979. I really miss the water and the area.

Thanks for the reply.

Mark
 
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