> I have opted for the Wilksch WAM120 diesel..........................I
> (we) invite comment on the above or upon any other topic
> related to compression-ignition ambition............................
A well reasoned posting. I went through the same thought process and
decided (only just) against the WAM120 on the basis of weight. If Mark
could get the weight down I think sales would really take off (no pun
intended). The concept is right.
> 14 Diesel runs more coolly (especially with turbo exhaust) than gas;
Whatever happened to the Ceramic engines we were promised ten years
ago? Imagine the benefits of the diesel without the overhead of an oil
system or water cooling?
> 18 One might more easily incorporate a compressed-air inlet to spin up
> the engine (and turbo?) for starting,
Like the mythical Zoche diesel that appears at certain times of the year
to an adoring faithful at airshows around the US, only to fade from
sight at the first mention of the question "when will it be available?"!
> 1 You can smell a diesel leak from the other shore;
All aircraft have a characteristic smell. In the Europa this is
the unmistakable odour of fuel, due presumably to the nasty porous
cotton covered pipe supplied by the factory. I couldn't contemplate a
journey of any significant length sitting in a cabin that smelt like a
ships bilge.
I can think of only one point you didn't cover.
Waxing. Diesel fuel tends to thicken at low temperature. This could be
a real problem if you used road diesel (DERV, gas-oil) in an aircraft
that has stood for a protracted period at temperatures at or below 0
degrees (c) or during flight at altitude.
A solution to both these potential problems would be
to use conventional 3/8" aluminium fuel pipe with tried and tested AN
fittings, routed as far from the outside of the A/C as
possible (high in the centre tunnel) and lagged.
Other than that, a good decision.
Regards
Nigel
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