Getting part way through this I agree with your comments in part but not complete. You did put a caveat that the conversion depends on the engineering and proven methods used and that is something I agree with. The precision of an automotive conversion however can match the precision of a straight aircraft engine especially in the Corvair as the Corvair was originally intended to go in to an aircraft in the first place. Granted back then we would not know how reliable it would be because it never made it into the production it was supposed to because of a contract that was not acquired by General Motors. That brings up the point that this aircraft engine rather the engine that was supposed to go into a helicopter and was re-engineered to go into a car became unreliable in the car and it would not necessarily have been unreliable for its original intended purpose. Works both ways. The vulnerable pancake style engine or box motors as some people like to call them are not really precision as any air cooled engine has a considerable amount of slop between the cylinders and the pistons to allow for unequal expansion of metals whereas the the water cooled engine are much more precision in that regard but they do have the possibility of failure in the water jackets and the radiator themselves. Anyway enough of my rambling. More rambling... I've had several engine issues shall we say with " certified '"engines. Had a piston failure on a VW. ALL are subject to failure or can be. Any pilot cooler one chooses to install must be run accordingly and PROPER maintenance done without fail. Then..one may have no adrenaline inspiring events BUT always fly with options in mind in case the unwanted should occur.
Do you have any evidencethe corvair was designed for sircraft use. I have heard this for years, but i could not find anything in writing ? 100hp & 200 ibs would be a very sick heli ! As for fixed wing, without the 5th bearing forget about a production engine. Again what would be the airframe ? market very small total numbers for another engine.I also heard corvair lost its handling because of added weightof steel cylinders ? I dont really believe that onr either ?
@@pauleyplay Despite your damning criticism of my mentality here, I wholeheartedly agree. I've been looking for credible information that shows that Corvair engines were originally designed for aviation use. I'm at a loss. No documentation I can find suggests that the Corvair engine was originally designed as an airplane engine.
Robert Engel Thanks...lighting, correct settings on the GoPro and a lavalier mic appear to the recipe for this kind of video. If I could find a wireless mic pack for the GoPro, I'd be all set in the build videos. Some day, though, a DSLR will probably be the way to go.
Yes you can, many props can be ordered for pusher configurations. The Corvair rotates the opposite direction of a regular certified engine, however. You will want to discuss your specific setup with a prop manufacturer to makes sure you get the correct prop for your application.
I just subscribed these engine videos were very informative and well done. Right now I'm leaning towards the Suzuki conversions from Aero Momentum mostly because of cost but I also like that Suzuki actual uses them in marine outboards that have to run full out all day. So for me I feel like aircraft use isn't asking much more of the engine than it was designed for.
Thanks for subscribing! I'm working on some new videos to be released in the (hopefully) next week or so. The Aero Momentum engine looks interesting. I've not seen one installed or run in person, but the videos make them look compelling. So many choices out there! What is your project?
I'm still in the deciding/planning stage. The main things I'm looking for out of an aircraft is fast cruise for small cross country trips, able to land/take off on a grass strip, and hopefully folding/removable wings. If you know of any particular aircraft comes to mind that meets that I would love to hear it. Right now it looks like an RV-12 with a bigger engine to hopefully get the speed up; although I would like more options that meet what I need out of a plane. Most of the LSA's just seem to slow for me
Almost any light plane can get in and out of a grass strip. I did my primary flight training in a Cherokee 140 and 181, and I landed on grass strips (when the wheel pants were off) just fine...no problems there. Now, if you really need STOL and rough field capability, that's another matter. Fast + rough/short field are really tough. Usually you get one or the other unless you get a new Carbon Cub X. I'd say carefully evaluate exactly how much STOL/rough field performance you really need. Most of your 2-seat light planes suitable for bush flying are going to be quite slow (100 mph or so in cruise). Decide which feature is most important to the type of flying you're actually going to be doing, and then compromise on the other features if necessary.
I'd never even heard of the Groppo before! Looks like an interesting project. My recommendation is to build the plane you want, and then worry about the engine when it is nearly done. With auto conversions, you never know if they'll still be around when you finally get your project done. I had no idea I'd only be starting my airframe 10 years after I started the engine conversion (nor would I have chosen that path)! But, everyone's circumstances are different. Engine choice is always stressful, whether you're trying to decide early on, or well into the project. Since you haven't chosen the airframe yet, don't even worry about the engine
Roy has been working on redoing his website for a while, but he's backlogged with work. It's been down for several months while he restructures. I'm not sure what Falcon Machine is up to these days.
Sounds like an interesting project! I'm guessing you will need to run it with the cooling fan installed on top of the engine (the way it ran in the car), unless you can sort out a pressure cowl. From what I understand, pressure cowls are really tough to do in pusher configuration. I'd have no idea how that would work in a gyro, but the top fan is how the engine was designed anyway. It's used in aircraft that don't have pressure cowls.
I should also add that I strongly recommend contacting FlyCorvair.com for consultation on using a Corvair in a pusher configuration in a gyro. They are the only Corvair conversion company I know of that has any direct knowledge/experience/information on using them in pusher configuration.
He seems to regurgitate “certificated engine” dogma and sounds almost self defeating in his presentation. Why would I take a risk like that if I am building a grenade...???!!!
the corvair was a fantastic idea to make concurrence to Volkswagen, but this fantastic idea in the hands of GM produce one of the worst cars ever produced, truly unsafe at any speed. the engine by itself was originally an areo engine converted at the GM sauce to automotive use and overheating at high speed was a major problem with these engines to a point that they are dieseling when driven hard and they had their share of blown head gaskets and disloged valve seats, if you can solve the overheating problem, there is no reason why this engine can not be a very good candidate to aircraft conversion as structurally, this engine is built tough. I 've never done areo conversions but many marine and stationary conversions and the three factors I look ar first is the availability of parts and components for the engine, the general construction of the engine and the torque available at RPM needed. to me , the rule of the thumb for a continuous running application, I never load a gas engine at more than 50% of its rating and for a diesel 80%. in general, I apply 150% to 200% of cooling requirement as when the setup takes age, the cooling efficiency decreases and it can lead to overheating with consequences
You said as much yourself, Its not what I think, you say that you are not experienced in the general aviation, Next you make many assumptions Most are wrong. I am a A&P. I work on all engines, have for fifty years. Airplane engines are nothing special. Built correct your corvair is worlds better than any continental ever was or will be. Do your homework, enjoy your 750 corvair combo.
Frankly I don't know why you would say that. He's just openly saying that he is like what many of us are. Not certified but he does have some knowledge. I work on my own airplanes and I stick with experimentals for that very purpose of the fact that I know a lot more about those airplanes than any aircraft mechanic would unless they have specialized in a particular type of experimental amateur bill aircraft. I've been around aviation for 45 years now. Been an active aviator for almost 40 and have built and flown many different types of aircraft as well as test flown several different types of aircraft with proven and unproven engines. I think you spot on on most of what he says and the stuff that he is not sure of he openly admits. He brings up some very good points. There are some automotive conversions that I would not fly behind ever again but I cannot say that about the Corvair because I have not flown behind one of those yet. It appears I'm about to as I'm about to purchase my second airplane to go along with the one I have in the hangar and that does have a Corvair conversion in it. I've never heard anything specifically bad about the Corvair though I'm sure they have their points of weakness that we need to be aware of. This is all part of researching what is out there on the Corvair conversion as everyone has their own opinions and the facts will speak for themselves regarding life
Well said 😊
Getting part way through this I agree with your comments in part but not complete. You did put a caveat that the conversion depends on the engineering and proven methods used and that is something I agree with. The precision of an automotive conversion however can match the precision of a straight aircraft engine especially in the Corvair as the Corvair was originally intended to go in to an aircraft in the first place. Granted back then we would not know how reliable it would be because it never made it into the production it was supposed to because of a contract that was not acquired by General Motors. That brings up the point that this aircraft engine rather the engine that was supposed to go into a helicopter and was re-engineered to go into a car became unreliable in the car and it would not necessarily have been unreliable for its original intended purpose. Works both ways. The vulnerable pancake style engine or box motors as some people like to call them are not really precision as any air cooled engine has a considerable amount of slop between the cylinders and the pistons to allow for unequal expansion of metals whereas the the water cooled engine are much more precision in that regard but they do have the possibility of failure in the water jackets and the radiator themselves. Anyway enough of my rambling.
More rambling... I've had several engine issues shall we say with " certified '"engines. Had a piston failure on a VW. ALL are subject to failure or can be. Any pilot cooler one chooses to install must be run accordingly and PROPER maintenance done without fail. Then..one may have no adrenaline inspiring events BUT always fly with options in mind in case the unwanted should occur.
Do you have any evidencethe corvair was designed for sircraft use. I have heard this for years, but i could not find anything in writing ? 100hp & 200 ibs would be a very sick heli ! As for fixed wing, without the 5th bearing forget about a production engine. Again what would be the airframe ? market very small total numbers for another engine.I also heard corvair lost its handling because of added weightof steel cylinders ? I dont really believe that onr either ?
@@pauleyplay Despite your damning criticism of my mentality here, I wholeheartedly agree. I've been looking for credible information that shows that Corvair engines were originally designed for aviation use. I'm at a loss. No documentation I can find suggests that the Corvair engine was originally designed as an airplane engine.
great videos, my 750 is finished and ready for the first flight this week I hope, I built a corvair engine 2700 cc and its a real power horse!
Congratulations on the 750! First flight should be exciting! I still have quite a ways to go.
Video and audio you are using is spot on very nice picks.
Robert Engel Thanks...lighting, correct settings on the GoPro and a lavalier mic appear to the recipe for this kind of video. If I could find a wireless mic pack for the GoPro, I'd be all set in the build videos. Some day, though, a DSLR will probably be the way to go.
Thank you, awsome vidio
Can i get a reverse flow prop i want to push air insted of pull
Yes you can, many props can be ordered for pusher configurations. The Corvair rotates the opposite direction of a regular certified engine, however. You will want to discuss your specific setup with a prop manufacturer to makes sure you get the correct prop for your application.
I just subscribed these engine videos were very informative and well done. Right now I'm leaning towards the Suzuki conversions from Aero Momentum mostly because of cost but I also like that Suzuki actual uses them in marine outboards that have to run full out all day. So for me I feel like aircraft use isn't asking much more of the engine than it was designed for.
Thanks for subscribing! I'm working on some new videos to be released in the (hopefully) next week or so. The Aero Momentum engine looks interesting. I've not seen one installed or run in person, but the videos make them look compelling. So many choices out there! What is your project?
I'm still in the deciding/planning stage. The main things I'm looking for out of an aircraft is fast cruise for small cross country trips, able to land/take off on a grass strip, and hopefully folding/removable wings. If you know of any particular aircraft comes to mind that meets that I would love to hear it. Right now it looks like an RV-12 with a bigger engine to hopefully get the speed up; although I would like more options that meet what I need out of a plane. Most of the LSA's just seem to slow for me
If I compromise on the cruise speed I really like the Groppo Trail. It's to bad that plane won't cruise around 150mph
Almost any light plane can get in and out of a grass strip. I did my primary flight training in a Cherokee 140 and 181, and I landed on grass strips (when the wheel pants were off) just fine...no problems there. Now, if you really need STOL and rough field capability, that's another matter. Fast + rough/short field are really tough. Usually you get one or the other unless you get a new Carbon Cub X. I'd say carefully evaluate exactly how much STOL/rough field performance you really need. Most of your 2-seat light planes suitable for bush flying are going to be quite slow (100 mph or so in cruise). Decide which feature is most important to the type of flying you're actually going to be doing, and then compromise on the other features if necessary.
I'd never even heard of the Groppo before! Looks like an interesting project. My recommendation is to build the plane you want, and then worry about the engine when it is nearly done. With auto conversions, you never know if they'll still be around when you finally get your project done. I had no idea I'd only be starting my airframe 10 years after I started the engine conversion (nor would I have chosen that path)! But, everyone's circumstances are different. Engine choice is always stressful, whether you're trying to decide early on, or well into the project. Since you haven't chosen the airframe yet, don't even worry about the engine
links to raysgarage and the other one didn't work
Roy has been working on redoing his website for a while, but he's backlogged with work. It's been down for several months while he restructures. I'm not sure what Falcon Machine is up to these days.
Thank you i want to use it in my gyro copter
Sounds like an interesting project! I'm guessing you will need to run it with the cooling fan installed on top of the engine (the way it ran in the car), unless you can sort out a pressure cowl. From what I understand, pressure cowls are really tough to do in pusher configuration. I'd have no idea how that would work in a gyro, but the top fan is how the engine was designed anyway. It's used in aircraft that don't have pressure cowls.
I should also add that I strongly recommend contacting FlyCorvair.com for consultation on using a Corvair in a pusher configuration in a gyro. They are the only Corvair conversion company I know of that has any direct knowledge/experience/information on using them in pusher configuration.
He seems to regurgitate “certificated engine” dogma and sounds almost self defeating in his presentation. Why would I take a risk like that if I am building a grenade...???!!!
Got that right. Corvair horrible but I am using one.Guy drives me crazy
the corvair was a fantastic idea to make concurrence to Volkswagen, but this fantastic idea in the hands of GM produce one of the worst cars ever produced, truly unsafe at any speed.
the engine by itself was originally an areo engine converted at the GM sauce to automotive use and overheating at high speed was a major problem with these engines to a point that they are dieseling when driven hard and they had their share of blown head gaskets and disloged valve seats,
if you can solve the overheating problem, there is no reason why this engine can not be a very good candidate to aircraft conversion as structurally, this engine is built tough.
I 've never done areo conversions but many marine and stationary conversions and the three factors I look ar first is the availability of parts and components for the engine, the general construction of the engine and the torque available at RPM needed.
to me , the rule of the thumb for a continuous running application, I never load a gas engine at more than 50% of its rating and for a diesel 80%.
in general, I apply 150% to 200% of cooling requirement as when the setup takes age, the cooling efficiency decreases and it can lead to overheating with consequences
You are correct, You don't know what you are talking about.
Care to add some details about why you think that?
You said as much yourself, Its not what I think, you say that you are not experienced in the general aviation, Next you make many assumptions Most are wrong. I am a A&P. I work on all engines, have for fifty years. Airplane engines are nothing special. Built correct your corvair is worlds better than any continental ever was or will be. Do your homework, enjoy your 750 corvair combo.
Interesting. Thanks for your thoughts.
Frankly I don't know why you would say that. He's just openly saying that he is like what many of us are. Not certified but he does have some knowledge. I work on my own airplanes and I stick with experimentals for that very purpose of the fact that I know a lot more about those airplanes than any aircraft mechanic would unless they have specialized in a particular type of experimental amateur bill aircraft. I've been around aviation for 45 years now. Been an active aviator for almost 40 and have built and flown many different types of aircraft as well as test flown several different types of aircraft with proven and unproven engines. I think you spot on on most of what he says and the stuff that he is not sure of he openly admits. He brings up some very good points. There are some automotive conversions that I would not fly behind ever again but I cannot say that about the Corvair because I have not flown behind one of those yet. It appears I'm about to as I'm about to purchase my second airplane to go along with the one I have in the hangar and that does have a Corvair conversion in it. I've never heard anything specifically bad about the Corvair though I'm sure they have their points of weakness that we need to be aware of. This is all part of researching what is out there on the Corvair conversion as everyone has their own opinions and the facts will speak for themselves regarding life