How long before someone creates an aircraft conversion? Sounds interesting.

http://www.windingroad.com/articles/news/nismo-shows-off-400-horsepower-that-weighs-88-pounds/

What's the TBO??? If you have enough money getting high horsepower numbers from a small engine is not that difficult, but not for very long.

Heck yeah! Put a 2.68 PSRU and go to town!

CamTom12 wrote:Heck yeah! Put a 2.68 PSRU and go to town!

It's designed for the 24 Hours of LaMons, so TBO is probably 24 hours. LOL But still pretty darned impressive.
The auto industry is getting some amazing engine performance these days. The flat 4 Subaru BRZ engine in my FRS is only 2.0L, normally aspirated and cranks out 200hp. The problem is that it's doing that at 7,000rpm. I can't help thinking that'd be great on an aircraft too. Except that by the time you get a 2:1 PSRU on it, it'd probably be heavier than a IO-540.

400 hp but only at 280 lb-ft of torque.

Remember, torque turns the prop. With those numbers, I'd bet you'd need a 8:1 gearbox.

Av8r3400 wrote:400 hp but only at 280 lb-ft of torque.

Remember, torque turns the prop. With those numbers, I'd bet you'd need a 8:1 gearbox.

400hp at 7500rpm

Geared down to 2800rpm (2.6:1 geared PSRU) gives you still 400hp but 750 lbft. I think that'll swing a prop pretty well.

…and you'll need a hell of a heavy gearbox to manage that 728 lb-ft of torque. Plus oil coolers, coolant radiators, turbos, intercoolers, exhaust systems, computers, etc. to make this work.

I'm all for innovation. I fly a Rotax motor with a gearbox. But this is a loaded conversation. 88 pounds for a long block is one thing, a functional, reliable power system is something completely different. Remember the Pond Racer? I believe that had hot-rod Nissan race motors in it, too. To scatter your motor down the back stretch at Lemans is one thing, but do this inside the cowl of your plane, over the mountains, well…

No thanks.

I'm not saying it's fit for aviation, just that it'd swing a prop!

How about 330hp at 3000rpm and 215lbs instead. At least this wont require a PSRU.. http://www.kiss-engineering.com/

The guy spoke at our EAA meeting last month and a few of us plan to go see it run sometime this month. Interestingly enough he found it runs better air cooled over water so no need for radiator issues. Design utilizes a scotch yoke and he fires on both stroke directions. Don't hold it against him that he also has designed and sells on his website a product for a toilet...

He is also the balance masters guy and he demoed his mercury filled balancers which he has STC to go behind the prop. Pretty cool as well.

Marc

This one would seem to be better suited to lower RPM with higher torque.

http://pixelbark.com/13045/how-the-duke ... ion-engine

Hafast wrote:This one would seem to be better suited to lower RPM with higher torque.

http://pixelbark.com/13045/how-the-duke ... ion-engine

Neat concept!

Though if I were exploring alternative power I'd probably be looking at mazda rotaries. Or, while I'm dreaming, I just ran across the Mistral G-300. That thing'll swing a BIG prop at low rpm! http://www.mistral-engines.com/Products/G-300