Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Lou has hit the nail on the head ! If you have the time and $$$ then you can probably hang an "alternate" powerplant on the nose. Now we have to figger out a new engine mount ? Will it fit in the existing cowling ? Make a new cowling ? Exhaust system ? How to cool the beast ? W & B ? You could spend a year or more just trying to accomplish the above. Even then the results may not be in your favor. Take it from an old road warrior that spent 27 years putting together his "sky machine" , if you want to get into the air sooner, stick with the basic airframe/powerplant ! BADA BING, BADA BOOM !

RB

Jess is a good friend of mine. He built a beefed up version of his reduction drive for my new plane. He is the reason I decided to go with a Chevy. The boy knows his stuff.

I had a chance to have a conversation with Jess on the phone and this has been some time ago, he is as sharp as a tack. He has done the experimental world a big favor by having his alternative package and it has stood the test of time. His knowledge of powerplants is remarkable and he has a grip on redrives, Gloria and I will make it over your way Jimmy and I gotta talk to this Jess Myers. Dan

He just moved his business from downtown LV to VGT. If you want to meet him, just say so. He has several irons in the fire WRT reduction drives. His design is belt driven. The belt he uses is Kevlar. It is designed for supercharges on dragsters that turn ALOT more horsepower and RPM than we need.

Almost got distracted by that talk of V8s. A V8 Thorp would sound good.
Anyway I did some more checking and estimating on the UL option based on what I can currently get from the web.
Size:
The UL power is approximately 3 inches narrower, 4 inches shorter and from what I can gather about the same length as the O320 lyco, The UL motors overall shape looks to be well matched to the T18 cowl and by my calculations it will fit within the existing thorp cowl.

Engine mount:
If I overlay a drawing of the UL engine mount over the T18 plans for the non dynafocal lyco mount I can align the thrust centrelines while keeping the UL power motor within the cowl limits. With a comfortable margin. The engine mounting holes are in the same basic arrangement as the lyco. I am not an engineer but it looks to me like you could take a T18 non dynafocal engine mount , cut off the mount ring and put a new ring on to suit the UL power motor or possibly leave the existing mount alone and make an adaptor ring to fit the front and locate the UL motor slightly further forward. Does anyone have a spare engine mount they would like to donate to an experiment I am planning?

Weight:
Lighter not usually a big problem and is one I am sure can be fixed. How hard can it be to add in some ballast ?

Reliability:
Unknown at this stage but it is to some extent offset by operational reliability which one would expect will be improved with the use of FADEC controls.

Time and Cost: Yes there is plenty of scope for a blow out in both.
Stuart

I'm several years away from needing an engine, but I'll be watching to see what happens with all of this. More power with less weight seems pretty alright to me. Hopefully the CG issues can be resolved by moving some things forward, and not having to add dead weight ballast.

I am building an RV-8 with a turbocharged Mazda rotary. I have about 5 hours of ground running, and the aircraft is in a hangar at the airport getting finished.
Well...a certain T-18 kinda got in the way, you see, it already flies. And it flies danged well.
Sure, I've felt the need to make some changes to tame an ugly wing drop and a fast stall, but once an airplane is flying, these things can be addressed fairly quicky with help from the group.
My RV-8 engine is a different story. The Rotary engine forum is very helpful, but in reality I'm on my own at this stage.
I wouldn't recommend it unless you are a gearhead. I knew what I was getting into and it still took longer than I expected. But don't feel bad for me, I'm still enjoying it.
New production UL engines could be quicker to get into the air, but the engine manufacturer might not like it if you made "improvements" to his engine that could effect his reputation down the road.
In short, you risk being grounded for indeteminable amounts of time while the manufacturer tries to find a solution to a problem that cropped up in their new 6 cylinder line, etc.
Aside from that, I'm all for a light 6 popper in our power range.
(stick with the lycoming, change it later if you must)

_________________
Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

I'd like to add another thought:
Flying a T-18 really IS NOT about the engine. I'm just a newbie here, but the engine just moves you along. The T-18 is where all the personality is found.

_________________
Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

The Mazda engine is another interesting choice but not one I am up for, that is just too big a challenge for me
The UL option on the other hand is looking more interesting. I did some drawings based on the 4 cylinder UL engine, the six uses the same mount. I wanted to check the potential for the UL motor to fit. I'm no engineer but It looks to me like a new mount ring on an old mount is a distinct possibility and the motor thrust line is in the perfect position.
Drawing attached if you are interested.
Stuart

If anyone is interested UL Power is looking for a prototype customer with an existing Lycoming installation nearing TBO so they can make an adapter engine mount to install a ULPower engine on an existing dynafocal mount under the same cowl.
See http://www.facebook.com/ulpower or http://www.ulpower.net/news.html for their post.
I'd be keen, only I am too far away and probably a decade away from thinking about mounting an engine.
I would be very keen to see how the UL project goes especially if it was a Thorp used for the prototype.

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Stug

Saw the UL Power North America engine on FB yesterday. Same info as you posted (links), UL Power are looking at the adapter method to sync their engine and the thorp engine mount to see if it will fit under your cowlings.

As stated it will likely fit inside the cowling, moving the engine fwd with the adapter will help with the W & B issue however, the engine (4 cyl) will require ballast to correct.

For someone contemplating an engine this could be an option, but there are always other challenges with a new engine installation. I treasure the experimental side of our sport, but I do not want to rework an engine mount, cowling when there is an existing proven engine available, with different HP sizes applicable for the T-18.

UL Power North America will likely have a booth at Sun & Fun and I will drop in to see their products.

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Victor J Thompson
C-GIRQ
In memory of Dad