24 Vol.4 No.2 / Februar y 2015
ENGINES FOR HOMEBUILDERS ON A BUDGET
Some people will not fl y with a two-stroke engine because it
is not felt to be as reliable as a four-stroke, and/or they do not like
how it sounds. The half VW and 1/3 Corvair engines mentioned
earlier are established choices. There has been work done,
mostly by the fl oppy wing fl iers and some fi xed-wing designers
such as Leeon Davis for his DA-11, to convert industrial engines
to power their fl ying machines. The websites
www.SDplanes.
com/new
and http://Luciole.co.uk/index.html have some "real"
aircraft examples. The goal is to have enough power to fl y well
with an engine that burns less than 2 gallons an hour, weighs less
than 100 pounds, and costs well under $5,000 ready to fl y. This is
a development that deserves more attention.
Valley Engineering is one example.
www.CulverProps.com/
Engines.html
Solo Flight's package is based on a 627-cc Briggs & Stratton
engine.
www.SoloFlightLtd.com/SOLO%20ENGINE.html
Leeon Davis' "Mower Power to the People" DA-11 is shown at
this link.
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=HpDgeNcQWh0
ELECTRIC AND HYBRID POWER
There are interesting developments happening with electric
and hybrid electric power. One company to watch is Pipistrel.
www.Pipistrel-USA.com/index.html , www.Pipistrel.si
We will have more to report after the Electric Aircraft Sym-
posium IX this coming spring.
http://CafeFoundation.org/v2/
ea_eas_2014_main.php
V-6S AND MORE
At the opposite end of the homebuilding spectrum are the bigger
automotive-based conversions. Many V-6 engines are more than
300 hp, but the engines with real star potential are the LS series
from GM. The LS 3 is available as a crate engine of 430 hp for
$6,500. It is not quite ready to run as it needs an ECU and some
accessories, and to turn a prop, a reduction unit of some kind.
The volume of such conversions is so small that they are virtually
custom built.
Jack Kane's website is a great place to start if you are inter-
ested in high-power auto conversions as there is a wealth of
information there.
www.EPI-Eng.com
Stewart Davis is carrying on Bud Warren's gear drive develop-
ment. He has an in-line compound reduction box for Subaru and
others and an of set up gearbox for V-8s. They feature a centrifu-
gal clutch to avoid torsional resonance.
www.AutoPSRUs.com
Robinson made quite a splash at Oshkosh a few years back
with a polished, air-conditioned Seabee with LS V-8 power. Its
PSRU is the only one I know that is currently available using
Morse Hy-Vo internal-toothed chain pioneered by the late
Fred Geschwender. Robinson of ers complete engine packages.
www.V8Seabee.com
Guy Marcotte has developed gearboxes similar to that used on
the early Allison V-1710. They have a pinion meshing with an in-
ternally toothed ring gear. That makes for a compact, lightweight
gearbox with only two gears, and it has the engine and prop
turning in the same direction. The small of set between the input
and prop shafts make it especially suitable for rotary and Subaru
conversions.
www.GlasairProject.com/Marcotte/Page2.html
Ben Haas has a successful Zenair 801 conversion and
will help others interested in doing auto conversions.
www.HaasPowerAir.com/Home.html
Jess Myers is one of the pioneers of toothed belt drives.
www.BeltedAir.com
Richard Finch's book on auto engine conversions, Convert-
ing AutoEngines for Experimental Aircraft, is out of print but
is available. It is worth having. Used copies are available on
Amazon.com.
Toothed belt drives have proven to work well, although they
get quite large when used on higher horsepower applications.
Poly-V belts are used at the lower end of the horsepower spec-
trum and are even more suitable for an amateur to construct.
Aircraft engines have gotten too expensive for airboat use,
and auto engine conversions have taken over. An example is
found at
www.CenturyDriveSystemsInc.com . Airboat drives
may be on the heavy side for aircraft use.
http://WhirlwindPro-
pellers.com/airboats
This is just a taste of the fascinating subject of aircraft engine
options. Auto engine conversions display the "time versus money
trade-of ." If you expect someone to provide a developed pack-
age, it is likely to cost as much as a "real" aircraft engine. If you
know or are willing to learn about engines, low-cost powerplants
can be made by taking advantage of mass-produced core engines.
After many years of reporting on this subject, I tell people
this: "If you want to fl y, put in the aircraft engine that the de-
signer intended for your airplane. If you are still interested in
an alternative engine, make a test stand and develop your new
engine, and when the weather permits, go fl y your airplane with
that engine. When you are happy after running the hell out of
your new engine on the ground, you can sell your old aircraft en-
gine and recover a good portion of your costs. Then put your new
engine on your aircraft. Developing an engine conversion is a big
project; ask Jeron Smith and the other developers. Building an
aircraft is a big project. Do you have time for two?" If you really
want to, go for it. You will learn a lot. That is what experimental
is about.
Because of EAA, I was able to meet William Besler at Osh-
kosh. Bill, a longtime EAAer, had designed, built, and had fl own
the only documented successful steam-powered, man-carrying
airplane in 1933. I told him that someday I would like to build the
second successful steam-powered airplane. He replied, "Well,
good for you." That is a challenge. That is the Experimental Air-
craft Association.
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=yvQsvfa2N_c
In 2015, the homebuilder has more choices of powerplants
than ever: from ones you can strap to your back, up to fi re-breath-
ing turbo V-8s for Sport Class racers to outrun Unlimiteds; jets;
and almost silent electrics. If you can't fi nd an engine you like, you
can always fl y gliders.
www.SSA.org , www.ESoaring.com
Murry I. Rozansky, EAA 48039 Lifetime, is president of the Experimen-
tal Soaring Association.