Morgans wrote:
"Cal Vanize" wrote

There's a little difference. When the engine breaks in your car, you
can pull off the road and call a tow truck.


Humm, I don't know a single person that has had a broken crank, in his car.
Can you say the same about your friend's airplanes?

When an auto engined airplane powerplant fails, it is almost always not the
engine, but what has been bolted to it. It seems like airplane engines are
always blowing jugs off, sticking valves, and breaking rods and cranks.
They are not confidence inspiring, to me.

True, auto engines in airplanes have a way to go, but if someone were to put
the effort into making a standard package, and perfecting it, they would
really go far. Some are getting really close.

Many people ARE working on it, of course.

A friend in Hondo has been for several years.
He runs the local crop dusting service and flies Snows, AgTrucks, and a couple
of small Cessnas. There are a few Garret powered planes as well - sweet, but
pricey to purchase, and operate.

One season, he replaced 13 cylinders on ONE of his 1835s.
THAT'S a chunk of change, folks!

His idea is to use a large block V8 to power his fleet, and has had one up
and flying. That one used a belt driven PSRU, and actually flew a few hours
before it was lost in a hangar fire. Reliability was never fully explored,
but there were some doubts as to how long it would have lasted in service.

The next step was to have a gearbox designed - by a well known name in this
field. Several years, a lot of drawings, and planning - and money? before
this one was dropped.

The current plan is for a chain drive. Another well known name in the field,
but this guy says he can have it up and running in 60 days.

The FAA agrees that the duster fleet needs modernized power and is very
interested in the results. No dusters - no food - and an epidemic of RATS!

My own feeling is that the crop dusting fleet NEEDS this kind of power and
reduced operating costs! And the aircraft size makes it quite adaptable to
such engines. As opposed to very small, very light, very experimental
airframes.

Given enough time and money....

Richard