AeroVee. any good?

[Timm427]

Can anyone tell me if the AeroVee 80H/P U-Build engine, distributed by Sonex, is worth considering instead of the 2.2 Jabby for power and reliability (for the budget minded).

 

In the same vein has anyone had any experience with their venturi-less carby that is claimed to eliminate carb ice, increase power and eliminate the need for a fuel pump.

 

 

[facthunter]

Aerovee.

 

80 hp seems a lot of power to get out of that motor for an aircraft, especially if it is direct drive. There are a lot of beaut parts available for these engines, but keep an eye on the weight and the method of attaching the prop drive flange can be a bit scary. I would also have to be convinced that the crankcase is strong enough for the high power applications, and it is a pity that no-one makes a stronger one. A counterweighted shaft would help save the case, but might cause torsional vibration problems. I know that very high outputs are not uncommon in cars, but cars are not planes. I am not trying to CAN the engine entirely, but I would have to be satisfied on the points I mention. There is an aerovee at Ballarat I think.

 

The carb also has no float and the ONLY one I have seen seemed to run poorly at low revs and leak a lot of fuel at start-up. Nev..

 

 

[Downunder]

There's an Aerovee forum on Yahoo groups....join up.....

 

 

[Brett]

I took the plunge and bought one ,,,I have not installed it into an airframe yet however from what arrived in the kit it seems to be off good quality and from reports on the aerovee forum quite reasonable life spans are obtained from them.

 

 

[Timm427]

Good luck with the installation Brett. Keep us posted on the AeroVee's performance.

 

Tim

 

 

[bilby54]

What sort dollars is on the Aerovee price tag??

 

 

[Timm427]

Bilby54 the price is USD6,495 + freight + (Approx. USD800 of extras if required) + You build it when it arrives. have a look at their site at http://www.aeroconversions.com/products/aerovee/index.html

 

 

[vk3auu]

A couple of points on the Aerovee and similar engines.

 

First of all, remember that fuel consumption is proportional to power.e.g. 80 HP equals about 23-24 litres per hour. My impression is that most of these engine producers overestimate their actual power output in an aircraft, even though a test in a dyno may give 80 HP. The same goes for any direct coupled engine such as the various Jabirus.

 

What power you actually get will depend a bit on what speed your aircraft flies at. For example a comparatively slow aircraft with a wider cowl such as my CH701 will not enable the engine to develop a lot of power, whereas something a bit faster with a narrower cowl such as a Sonerai will be much better.

 

David

 

 

[Timm427]

Yeh vk3auu generally agree if you can do 115 Knots with an engine rated at 80 but only putting out 70H/P who cares. And if you fly a STOL you get to the point where it does't matter too much if you've got 80 or 100 H/P that fat wing and "only it's mother loves it fuse." are only going to do 91.735 Knots regardless of what you say. (Unless you want to climb out a bit quicker that is)

 

No slander intended to STOL pilots :loopy:still considering building one of those Butt Ugly Sticks myself.

 

Tim

 

 

[Timm427]

91.??? Knots ? You wish:big_grin:

 

 

[Jeffsy]

Aerovee

 

I have the Waiex with the Aerovee engine that is mentioned. Facthunter may have seen it when it had a faulty coil. When it is tuned correctly it run superbly. The areocarb operation is such that fuel is introduced as soon as the mixture is set to rich so if the engine is not turning the fuel will drip out. The starting procedure is such that as soon as you hit the starter you go from full lean to full rich and the engine will start in one or two turns with no fuel leakage at all Anyone is quite welcome to come and have a look at the installation.Give me a call on 0438508576 if you would like to see it or discuss it more. The Yahoo group on Aerovee is an excellent resource

 

 

[facthunter]

Aerovee.

 

Thanks for responding, Jeffsy. I might just clarify a few points. The engine that I have observed was not yours, and the technique you descibe is no doubt correct, but if the engine does not start cleanly (for any reason) then quite a bit of fuel can escape from the carburetter. I think this is worth mentioning to an intending purchaser as it could present a significant hazard depending on the installation and the technique used to start up . Your offer should be helpfull in providing the information required. Perhaps this carb. is more for the engine-aware person than most? Regards Nev...