Aerovee Turbo

[dc910sn]

How would this new Turbo work in a 7ss ?
http://youtu.be/AG3AmNn5CtY
Ted

[av8rps]

I'd love a good option for our Kitfox besides the expensive and complex 912, but all of the engines that turn short little props at high rpms have proven to be not such good performers on a STOL type aircraft. And unfortunately, a Kitfox is more a STOL aircraft than it is a high speed cruiser. So as much as that video is impressive with an Aerovee in a Sonex, I'd be surprised if it worked half that good on a Kitfox.

We need long, slow turning props to make our Kitfoxes fly well.

Just my two cents.

[Av8r3400]

Kitfoxes and Avid before them, have been around since the early 80s. Going on nearly 40 years.

In all of that time there have been many different engines used in them. Some work well, some do not.

Historically speaking from many, many attempts, VW conversions have not been successful in these planes. Some have flown. Even fewer are still flying, but none of them have performed to their potential.

This is why when the 912 came along, it was a match made in heaven.

[av8rps]

Larry,

The sad part is that your comment is so true. One would think we could find something that would work more reasonably one of these days??

In defense of the Aerovee, if one was installed with a reduction unit that allowed a long prop to be used, the Aerovee would work well I'm convinced. I remember watching the N3 Pup 2 place fly at Oshkosh with a belt reduced VW and a big prop haul two big guys skyward at a pretty impressive rate. So I know it can work. But everyone is hung up on those stinking little props that are only good for go fast airplanes.

And as I've said before, if Jabiru ever figured out how to put a gearbox on their engines, I think Rotax would be in big trouble.

Paul

[av8rps]

Also worth mentioning; When the original Avid Flyer flew for the first time circa 1982, it was powered with the most common ultralight engine used at the time, the Cuyuna. On that little 40 hp 430 cc Cuyuna he ran the standard prop the ultralight guys were using, which was a 56 inch diameter if I recall correct. But the super light 360 lb Avid Flyer that was intended as a Super STOL aircraft only saw a measely 200 fpm climb rate and a 55 mph cruise with that setup .

Dean Wilson was less than impressed with his airplane after all that and almost scrapped the project (can you imagine? None of us would have Kitfoxes today had that happened!).

But after thinking about it more, he went to a junkyard and bought some parts out of a Ford C3 automobile transmission. With some more brainstorming and a little machining to make it fit the end of a Cuyuna crankshaft, those parts ended up making a gear reduction unit for the diminutive Cuyuna that turned the prop 1/3 as fast as the 7,000 rpm crankshaft speed. Last, he obtained a 72 inch diameter prop with 36 inches of pitch, and walla!! He now had a 1400+ fpm climb rate and an 80 mph cruise. And the rest was history. All our little airplanes needed all along was to turn the prop slower... not faster.

And it wasn't too much later that Rotax showed up on the scene with a bunch of gear reduced engines designed for the lightweight class of airplanes. And the 912? Well that was Rotaxes answer for all the Avid Flyer and Kitfox buyers that insisted on a four stroke (and they had a lot of clout with mfrs as there was a time those two companies were selling 90 kits a month between them). Rotax initially designed the 912 for the current at the time Model 2 Kitfox. Once proven everyone started using the 912. And the rest is history...

So when people say the 912 in a Kitfox was a match made in heaven, it was kind of planned that way