europa-list
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Europa-List: Gemini Diesel engine

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Gemini Diesel engine
From: Fred Klein <fklein@orcasonline.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 13:37:13

On Monday, Nov 19, 2007, at 03:14 US/Pacific, nigel charles wrote:

> <nwcmc@tiscali.co.uk>
>
> This engine looks interesting especially as we may have a problem in 
> the
> future using unleaded due to the increased level of ethanol in 
> unleaded.
>
> The article quotes the Rotax 912 at 6.6gall/hr. This equates to
> 26.5litres/hr. The only time I see such a high fuel flow on my Rotax
> 912S is at full power. At cruise power I get 18litres/hr at 120kts.

Nigel,

Thanks for clarifying fuel burn...I noticed that 6.6 gph and it seemed 
higher than what most Europas are using.

> We have yet to see a complete installed weight of the Gemini engine. I 
> suspect that it
> will have a final weight penalty of at least 20lb over a Rotax.

What do you peg the installed weight of your 912S?

> Matching the engine to a prop might be an issue. In the past other
> engines have had torsional load problems which finally caused them to 
> be
> impractical.

One of the links I posted was to the DieselAir Newsletter which 
included the following comment:

> DieselAir Comment: The Gemini is obviously a pursuit of the British 
> D-Air project: A scaled down Junkers Jumo diesel 2-stroke 
> Opposite-Piston engine, which has been flying for many years on a 
> Luscombe demonstrator.

If this is so, I would think the "torsional load" issue has been 
addressed. Does anyone know anything about the "British D-Air project"?

> The Europa was designed around the Rotax. So far we have had at least
> 6 attempts to change to another engine. These include Subaru, Mid West
> rotary, Continental O-100, Wilksch, BMW and Jabiru. Only the Jabiru has
> succeeded to any meaningful degree.

> Let's hope the Gemini will prove to be different.

Amen to that!

For anyone interested, here's another link for additional info, 
drawings, and dimensions (click on pdf files):

        www.ppdgemini.com

Fred
A194
-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>