Just wondering if you got any fuel useage figures, and whether there is any
significant difference
in cruise flight useage.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com]On Behalf Of ALAN YERLY
Sent: Wednesday, 13 May 2009 8:04 AM
To: europa-list@matronics.com
Subject: Re: Europa-List: 914 Fuel Injected Update & Opinion
If you don't have an engine yet for your project, consider this:
At Sun 'n Fun, I talked with Gunter Rund, an Auto Gyro owner, using Jason
Parker's fuel injected Rotax 914 with intercooler. He is enthusiastic about
it's smooth operation over the entire range and throttle response. He has
nearly 100 hours of trouble free operation so far. These 914s use military
technology from the Predator Drone program, and Jason converts them to fit
the experimental market. The engine footprint is virtually the same as a
stock 914 for tractor operations (turbo underneath) and pusher operations
(turbo on the top for bed mounting). In the past, Jason's engines required
some skill and attention to detail that limited me from being comfortable
with the setup for just anyone to install. Now that the engine is in its
fourth generation and is set up for user friendly installation, it looks
like a winner.
My involvement, to be honest, has been to give advice on engine mounting
and footprint. I insisted the engine must fit as close as possible to a
stock 914 setup. I spent a number of hours with Jason over the last two
years making the engine fit the Europa and finally it is as close to plug
and play as you can get.
He has gone to a fuel system similar to a Lycoming or Continental engine.
It has a fuel block on the top side of the engine with both the supply and
return lines flared for AN6 fittings. Just install an AN fitting on an
Aeroequip hose with fire sleeve and the firewall forward is as safe as you
can make it. Of course you must follow the instructions as your fuel
filters and fittings must hold up to 40 psi, so, no cheap fittings or
hardware shortcuts South of the pumps can be tolerated. He's moved the
engine wiring to the bottom side of the manifolds and fuel rails, and
properly secured them to make the engine very easy to inspect and very neat
looking. The computer (or computers for redundancy) for the electronic fuel
injection should be protected, although they are set up for cowl
installation (the SDS Fuel injection system is normally used under the hood
in racing) and all the sensor wiring is plug and play. Each engine is run
by him and the fuel map setup programmed. The SDS programming is a breeze
also, plus you can adjust mixture ratios on the fly based on your fuel
octane by a knob on the panel. (Although this knob should have a resistance
lock on it to prevent inadvertent actuation by a grandson with fast hands.)
He says he is wiling to sell the 914 turbocharged and intercooled engines
for $21000. That's a bargain.
Although I have spent time and money to help develop the idea, I do not
make sales commissions from his engine sales, I just want to see the idea
become a reality because of the great success of the military version of the
914, and selfishly, I plan to use one on my next project to give me some
better options for efficient operations at altitude. I just introduced him
to the right people and added my inputs, as other manufacturers and dealers
have, in an effort to make his product ideal for the experimental market.
Besides, tuning carbs and needing DOS computer programs to maintain an
engine today seems archaic.
See his new website at: http://www.extremeaircraftengines.com
Bud Yerly
Custom Flight Creations.
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