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  1. N

    Gas Direct Injection - what are the pitfalls for airplane conversions?

    With GDI using highly compressed fuel, it seems likely that this would prevent its use at higher altitudes. But I'm not sure about this, perhaps the common rail system and injectors are built strong enough to be stable even at higher altitudes. Does anyone have knowledge about this? The reason...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    Not sure what happened to the rest of my post #115 but half of it did not take. Just when I thought this thread was dead, it came back to life. Thanks Billski for your input. I'll try to start putting together a website at the end of next week as work is pretty hectic right now. In the mean...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    Very good idea. Plus if you have already pulled one then it would be a bit easier to do 4 more of that same one. I'm wondering if it would be possible in the interest of saving time and cost to use symmetrical airfoils? That way we would only have to make the mold for one half of the wing.
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    Electric Power Systems

    This rule of thumb was established by the auto conversion guys, but it does somewhat apply to electric aircraft. In an ICE auto, max power is rarely ever reached or used because of the transmission. When you're cruising down the highway in fifth gear, or whatever, your well below your max power...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    No, but I'm definitely going to do that asap. A bit of both. All good advice. Thanks for you input.
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    Torsional Vibration Question

    So, do manufacturers know where resonance will occur in their engines at a particular rpm? Is that data that is available? Bottom line, if I want to use an inline 4 in direct drive with a prop, what is the concern I need to have about resonance? Can it be easily negated with a flywheel...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    All this back and forth bickering... what a waste of time. Why bother. My mistake for even responding to Topaz, I should have just let it go. If you don't have anything constructive to contribute why try and drag the whole thread down into the mud. I put down an idea (actually not my own) of...
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    Torsional Vibration Question

    Good information. I understand better what torsional vibration is, but I’m still trying to get my head around all that causes it in a piston engine. In a straight-4 engine every power stroke at the piston, especially farthest away from the output shaft, will create a flex perpendicular to...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    I like the MCR01, maybe that could be the target but balance it out a bit with aspects of the DA20, and Autoreply pointed out the Europa, also a nice plane. So we could use as models the MCR01, DA20, Europa, and also at the end of the spectrum the CTSW. The MCR01 is impressive in that it cruises...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    I said I understand the difficulties, that does not mean I have a solution to the problem, those are two different things.
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    I appreciate that your comments are in the spirit of pointing out potential pitfalls. But it is not simply that I think your being negative, some of your comments are gross exaggerations. Like when you said in order to copy a DA20 you would have to buy one and tear it apart. Or in this resent...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    Actually I was asking about your open source project. But, yes engine choice is critical. In fact the more I think about it, it is the most critical thing, and maybe the focus should be not on designing an airframe at this point, but a collaboration on matching an off-the-shelf auto engine with...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    To Bob and Topaz, all these comments where you elaborate on the obvious difficulty of building a lower cost airplane, what is the real purpose of it? These difficulties you are dwelling on are obvious to me, and I'm sure to anyone else with a brain (even non-engineers or experienced builders)...
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    Would You Be Interested in Building From Plans a DA20-like Airplane if...

    A C-152? No way is it comparable to the DA20, it is way slower and way less efficient. I like the Europa, the monowheel idea it interesting. Perhaps if this plane was a plans build with a auto engine conversion it could get to the 30k mark.
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    Would You Be Interested in Building From Plans a DA20-like Airplane if...

    It can be, if you find it funny. :) The DA20 uses a Continental 125HP engine. Displacement is 3.9 Liters, weight is about 255LBS, developed in 1971. Cost, if you were to buy a used one and have it overhauled is in the $25k range. A modern auto engine like the Hyundai Gamma engine is 1.6...
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    Would You Be Interested in Building From Plans a DA20-like Airplane if...

    Thanks for the positive feedback mcrae0104. The thing about the DA20 that appeals to me is the performance level and efficiency and comfort (meaning your not totally cramped) in a safe and stable airplane. I would like to work with composites as I feel it gives more flexibility and potential for...
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    Would You Be Interested in Building From Plans a DA20-like Airplane if...

    Reality? That is funny. The day before the Wright brothers took flight, human flight was not a reality.
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    I'm not sure if you are responding to Bob or me, but I think you took a left turn somewhere and kept on going. This thread is about a collaboration on building an airplane for personal use. I have zero interest in starting a business selling airplanes, or anything else for that matter. But I...
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    Collaborative Design Challenge – Working Together to Create a Plans-Built Design

    I see what your saying, all the little parts add up in time. If the airframe is only 50% of the entire build, then even reducing the airframe build time in half, not an easy feat, then you are still only reducing build time by %25.
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    Would You Be Interested in Building From Plans a DA20-like Airplane if...

    Total build time = 1500 and total cost = $30k More information about the DA20 here: Diamond DA20 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Why Buy DA20 | Diamond Aircraft Specs and mission type in summary: - Safe and stable (good for low-time pilots) - Two-place - Efficient - Good (not great)...
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