Perfect Engine for my Sonex? (Apr 29th, 2003)

Last weekend I attended the Aero2003 airfare in Friedrichshafen together with several members of the German Experimental Aircraft Builders Association (OUV).

At OUV's exhebition booth my club member Detlef Claren displayed his "Aeromaxx" engine, I showed my "all electronic" Sonex instrument panel.

So when I wandered around our booth it came to my mind if this Aeromaxx couldn't be implemented under the Sonex cowling?

With the help of Photoshop I planted this strong geared engine into the Sonex plans. This is what came out:

This is the way Sonex installs the AeroVee:

It's quite cramped behind the prop because of the direct drive engine there is very few space between the relative large engine case and the prop flange.

And this is the way the Aeromaxx probably could be installed (I tried to use equal scaling) :

Due to the redrive the engine sits lower and more relaxed under the hood.

Some advantages of this solution are:

• higher power output (up to 118 HP) at higher engine RPM
• prop decoupled by redrive and elastic damper, so modern composite props can be used
• low prop speeds (2500 RPM) cause low noise emissions and high prop efficiencies, three-blade prop can be used
• in-flight adjustable prop can be used (hollow prop flange)
• spareparts are easily available in Germany

Resumee:

It would sound almost too god to be true if there wouldn't be already an Aeromaxx successfully flying in a modified Long-EZ with no negative surprises so far...

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The Instrument Panel Takes Shape, (Apr 8th, 2003)

My 'electronic' panel is not for the Avionic purist (or should I say: for the steam gauge enthusiast ;-))

No protruding rivet heads at all! And the panel is surprisingly LIGHT! The radio is an old Delcom and will be replaced by a brand new X-Air.