Aircraft

[gyrojake]

Shouldn't aircraft use aircraft engines

 

[cmb]

Welcome back Jake! this ought to be a good one...
I've argued this with myself for years and will gladly play devil's advocate here as I'll probably learn something.

But first I'll state my current opinion, although to those who will inevitably comment without reading this thread from the beginning I suppose it really doesn't matter.

If you fly a lightweight gyro that can fly with a rotax 582 buy a rotax 582, if it needs more umpff or you hate (mis-understand) 2 strokes, buy a rotax 9 series. Can't afford new rotax 9 series? Buy a used one or substitute the time you'll likely spend as part of an auto or sled conversion's R&D team by working overtime at your day job... saving up for a rotax 9 series, new or used. And don't forget almost all auto / sled conversions require a gear reduction of some sort which can lead to issues independently of how reliable the auto / sled engine may be.

Don't agree? Ask those flying auto / sled conversions if they had the extra cash for a 9 series in their pocket when they purchased their existing engine, would they honestly have spent more time flying their gyro than they have with their current engine choice? Unless you're a true gear head and enjoy tinkering more than flying, you've got to add your time into the equation. I know of at least one prominent gear head whom is perhaps more capable of successfully implementing an auto / sled conversion than anyone in the existing gyro community and yet even they have came to a similar conclusion.

So yes, in the context of a gyroplane most would be better suited in the long run with an aircraft engine probably a rotax aircraft engine.

-Chris Buchanan

 

[AirCommandPilot]

Hold on Jake, let me get some popcorn in the microwave. lol.

 

[GyrOZprey]

Don't ask me ... been faithful to rotax 9's .... (done the rotax courses at Lockwood 3 times ...as mechanics is a challenge for me & I like to keep current & refreshed every 2 years) ...but it seems that rotax still has too many issues & on new FI models ...an awful lot of recalls & fixes! I have had more issues with my rotax 9's than I am happy with in a flying machine engine! ...the big bucks spent is NO Guarantee !

 

[WaspAir]

I fly Lycoming, and have had great results.

 

[NoWingsAttached]

yes. of course. it's why I've put only Yamaha snowmobile engines on stuff that flies since 2011. more than 100 in the air since 2007 and not a single forced landing that I'm aware of to date. feels good to fly with something dependable, ya know? stick with aircraft engines jake, you'll never go wrong buddy. now, about them weed whacker and buzz saw engines that start with the "R" word...

 

[gyrojake]

yes. of course. it's why I've put only Yamaha snowmobile engines on stuff that flies since 2011. more than 100 in the air since 2007 and not a single forced landing that I'm aware of to date. feels good to fly with something dependable, ya know? stick with aircraft engines jake, you'll never go wrong buddy. now, about them weed whacker and buzz saw engines that start with the "R" word...

Hahahaha!!! I'm thinking a big rubber band powered gyro.
My Rotax Says Aircraft engine on it