Author: "Jon Baker" <jon@...> Time: Mon Feb 2, 2004 10:21 am PST Link
Ah, a subject I never get tired of -- my plane! Ok, since you asked..
I chose a new Lyc O-320 from Vans. If I were doing it again, I would
be very tempted by the XP/360, although a little reluctantly because
it's heavier and uses more gas and you really don't need the extra
horsepower unless you go with a fixed prop -- which I never seriously
considered. I you use a 360 and CS prop you really need to move the
battery to the luggage compartment, which I didn't want to do.
I didn't like the CS prop options for the Soobie. There are enough
problems as it is with harmonics on certified prop combinations. I
didn't care to be first the guy to take some electric prop on a
Soobie over 500 hours and discover that the combination sheds blades
at 501 hours.
The Soobie was too new at the time for me, but as I was trying to
figure out the firewall, I often wondered if I'd made the right
choice. I think the Soobie's biggest selling point is that you get a
complete FWF kit out of the box. Van's FWF kit leaves way too much
to the imagination, if you ask me. And since I was using it on a 6
instead of a 7, it was even worse because none of the mounting
brackets worked.
You really don't want to be Mr. Aircraft Inventor at the FWF stage.
Mistakes in the airframe won't show up for years. Mistakes in the
FWF are why so many experimentals are lost in the first 10 hours.
In short, there are some other options now that weren't available to
me, but I'm happy with my Lyc.
Jon
--- In RV7and7A@yahoogroups.com, "william ferree" <wmferree@e...>
wrote:
> Gosh this is getting awfully political! However, I have to agree
with you. Now tell me about your airplane. I'm wrestling with the
decision of whether to use a conventional Lyc/clone or the hot-rod
Subaru. Sure would like to hear some pros and cons.
>
> Bill 7QB, emp almost finished
Author: "dmasys" <dmasys@...> Time: Thu Feb 5, 2004 2:57 am PST Link
--- In RV7and7A@yahoogroups.com, "Jon Baker" <jon@s...> wrote:
> I you use a 360 and CS prop you really need to move the
> battery to the luggage compartment, which I didn't want to do.
Maybe on a -6, but not on a -7. I have the 200hp IO-360 (aka 310 lb.
cast iron pig of an engine) and Hartzell prop, with the Odyssey
battery on the firewall, and the CG is well within the normal CG range
for the -7/7A. Keeping all the high amperage 'fat cable' lengths to a
minimum by mounting the battery on the firewall is good for electrical
performance and also a safety factor.
The FWF plans for the -7 and -7A are quite complete, as is the kit itself.
-Dan Masys
RV-7A N747DL flying