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On Sun, 2004-02-01 at 16:18, Dave Hall wrote: > I don't think home-builts need engine certification - you just write > 'Experimental' on the side and as long as it looks as if it will fly, that's > fine by the FAA! Just avoid the cast cranks. Bob Hoover built a number, > though I don't know specifically about the engines he used, but he knows > more about VW air-cooled engines than most. There are many VW-powered > planes flying; it's probably safer than going by big jet these days. ;-) > > I wonder if anyone uses ex-aircraft flat fours, as they are pretty compact > and the one I flew in the other day was 160hp - useful power to weight > ratio. No, Dave, use the force instead! > The ones my friend built used a gear reducer to the prop. Most props don't like more that about 3000 rpm. The tips start going super-sonic, and get into the same problems the first planes had at those speeds. Instability. -- Russ Wolfe '66 FB MT '71 FB AT '65 Bug (not running) russw@classicvw.org http://www.classicvw.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list | mailto:gregm@vwtype3.org