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601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

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Jason

Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 5

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:41 pm Post subject: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

Was hoping some of you 601 XL builders using the Corvair powerplant wouldn't mind sharing some of your plane specifications?  I have been reading gobs about the engine and the plane and it seems like a pretty good fit to me, but I keep having one nagging problem and since I don't actually have a plane or any real experience, I was hoping that some of you might share.



I was curious what the useful load of a Corvair powered 601XL was?



With a full tank, using the Lycoming O-235 as a comparable engine of approximatly the same weight (from the XL specifications page), I'm basically getting that the max take off weight is about 375lbs(useful load w/ full tank).



This is important to me because my father and I are not small people, we both are over 200lbs and even our most optimal and healthy weight would still have us both over 200lbs.  Can anyone speak to this from actual real first hand knowledge?



Any feedback greatly appreciated.



Jason



PS: My calculations were based on 24 gallons of fuel on the XL weighing 145lbs.  520-145 = 375lbs avaliable for two passengers.

p.mulwitz(at)worldnet.att
Guest

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:28 pm Post subject: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

Hi Jason,



I can't give you the information you ask, but perhaps I can help a little.



If you find the corvair engine is too heavy for your use, I suggest 

you consider using either a Rotax or Jabiru engine.  I believe each 

of these choices is considerably lighter than any cast iron block engine.



Good luck,



Paul

XL fuselage (Jabiru 3300 on order)

do not archive

At 01:41 PM 2/19/2007, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



Was hoping some of you 601 XL builders using the Corvair powerplant 

wouldn't mind sharing some of your plane specifications?  I have 

been reading gobs about the engine and the plane and it seems like a 

pretty good fit to me, but I keep having one nagging problem and 

since I don't actually have a plane or any real experience, I was 

hoping that some of you might share.



I was curious what the useful load of a Corvair powered 601XL was?



With a full tank, using the Lycoming O-235 as a comparable engine of 

approximatly the same weight (from the XL specifications page), I'm 

basically getting that the max take off weight is about 375lbs.



This is important to me because my father and I are not small 

people, we both are over 200lbs and even our most optimal and 

healthy weight would still have us both over 200lbs.  Can anyone 

speak to this from actual real first hand knowledge?



Any feedback greatly appreciated.



Jason



PS: My calculations were based on 24 gallons of fule on the XL 

weighing 145lbs.  520-145 = 375lbs avaliable for two passengers.





Read this topic online here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=96098#96098




	


---------------------------------------------

Paul Mulwitz

32013 NE Dial Road

Camas, WA 98607

---------------------------------------------

craig(at)craigandjean.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:49 pm Post subject: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

Here is a quote from William Wynne's web site about their Corvair-equipped

601xl (look about 3/4s of the way down the page):



"Like Gus, Derek is a very burly guy. Together, they weigh more than 500

pounds. But the 601's efficient airframe, and its 44" wide cabin flew both

of them in comfort with a good rate of climb. In extreme cases like this, we

do not operate the airplane with full fuel. But two FAA sized people could

fill up the 24 gallon tanks on the XL, still carry 86 pounds of baggage, and

be within gross weight. With the standard Corvair engine, this combination

performs very well."



http://www.flycorvair.com/601.html



-- Craig

John Bolding

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 281

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

After reading Paul's posting on cast iron Corvairs  I got real scared and ran out to the hanger to put a magnet on the Corvair block  I'm building up with alum cyls.  WHEW !!!     It  had NOT changed into cast iron overnight, it was STILL aluminum. Glad all  that work and money to build a lightweight, CHEAP, 100 hp engine had not been  destroyed. 

  I put a cover over it thou so any of  those cast iron gremlins roaming around wouldn't find it and convert it  .  I've learned some new stuff today!!  

 LOW&SLOW    John

  

 [quote]   



--> Zenith-List message    posted by: Paul Mulwitz <p.mulwitz(at)worldnet.att.net (p.mulwitz(at)worldnet.att.net)>



Hi    Jason,



I can't give you the information you ask, but perhaps I can help    a little.



If you find the corvair engine is too heavy for your use, I    suggest 

you consider using either a Rotax or Jabiru engine.  I    believe each 

of these choices is considerably lighter than any cast iron    block engine.



Good luck,



Paul

XL fuselage (Jabiru 3300 on    order)

do not archive

At 01:41 PM 2/19/2007, you    wrote:

[quote]--> Zenith-List message posted by: "Jason" <ingram20(at)sbcglobal.net (ingram20(at)sbcglobal.net)>



Was    hoping some of you 601 XL builders using the Corvair powerplant    

wouldn't mind sharing some of your plane specifications?  I have    

been reading gobs about the engine and the plane and it seems like a    

pretty good fit to me, but I keep having one nagging problem and    

since I don't actually have a plane or any real experience, I was    

hoping that some of you might share.

[b]

btucke73(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

John,



     You freakin' kill me...  And you beat me to the

punch...



VR/



Brandon



601 HDS / TD / Corvair

70 hours - a few of them with two 200+ lb fat asses on board.

 

Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check. 

Try the Yahoo! Mail Beta.

ashontz

Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Posts: 723

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:17 am Post subject: Re: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

 	  Jason wrote: 	
		  Was hoping some of you 601 XL builders using the Corvair powerplant wouldn't mind sharing some of your plane specifications?  I have been reading gobs about the engine and the plane and it seems like a pretty good fit to me, but I keep having one nagging problem and since I don't actually have a plane or any real experience, I was hoping that some of you might share.



I was curious what the useful load of a Corvair powered 601XL was?



With a full tank, using the Lycoming O-235 as a comparable engine of approximatly the same weight (from the XL specifications page), I'm basically getting that the max take off weight is about 375lbs(useful load w/ full tank).



This is important to me because my father and I are not small people, we both are over 200lbs and even our most optimal and healthy weight would still have us both over 200lbs.  Can anyone speak to this from actual real first hand knowledge?



Any feedback greatly appreciated.



Jason



PS: My calculations were based on 24 gallons of fuel on the XL weighing 145lbs.  520-145 = 375lbs avaliable for two passengers. 	




I think you'll find the new gross weight of the XL can be up to 1320 and still be sport pilot. Don't quote me though. I've seen people report and loaded XL with a Corvair weighing in at 735lbs giving, 1320 - 735 = 585 useful load. 585 - 145 = 440 means two 220lb people. I'd guess the that 735 may even be a bit high too. Depends on how many radios and whatnot you have in the thing. You could always go with 3/4 filled tanks too. How often will you be flying with your Dad? You could always look into the CH640. I believe that can even be built from plans. Don't know how heavy an engine that takes but I'd guess and Chevy small block v-6 conversion would fit confortably on that puppy and easily give you 180hp without stressing the engine. There's some good auto engine conversion books out there that feature the chevy v-6. I wouldn't put one on an XL though. The Corvair seems ideal for the XL.



Personally, I don't trust the high revving engines. Seems like too much stress and heat, plus they sound whacky. They don't sound like a real plane at all. Check out Scott Laughlin's videos of his Corvair running. Sounds awesome. www.cookinwithgas.com. I also don't trust the reduction belt drives on the Rotaxes. Ever have a timig belt go in a car? Same deal, except you can't pull over. Belts are great concepts for motorcycle drives, not for planes. Just more complications and things to go wrong. The idea behind an airplane engine is to be light, low-stress, simple, and reliable. And they're more reliable when they're simple. I have an 21 year 140hp outboard on my boat. Always runs. Simple design. I see more people with newer more complex engines broken down than Ive had problems myself. Same with airplane engines.

Gig Giacona

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:52 am Post subject: Re: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

Jason, I don't know where you are located but if east central Fla is not to far away go by William Wynne's place. I'll bet you could talk him into a flight.

_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR

hillsgun(at)nwinfo.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:38 am Post subject: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

It won't change to cast iron on it's own, it has to  be sprinkled with castonium flakes, unfortunately it has some adverse side  effects such as changing into a V-8.

     Dan

 [quote]   ---

Jason

Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 5

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:41 am Post subject: Re: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

I should be so lucky as to be able to stroll on over to talk with WW about this and get a demo ride on his 601. *grins*  I think he's a pretty busy guy right about now, so I'm not going to pester him when I don't even have an engine to tinker with(however, did order and recieve his conversion manual).  



Thanks for all your thoughts, I'm not sure if the 1320 is a "hard" limit, I'm assuming that for us we should treat it as a hard cieling, but am glad to know that more than a few of the XL/Corvair planes have and do fly loaded with some healthy sized guys aboard without problem.



Jason

pmaxpmax(at)HOTMAIL.COM
Guest

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

This is my experience also.  I'm not a skinny guy and Gus and I flew all over Northern New Jersey for a couple of days.  We flew with full tanks many times and went through all phases of flight.  I'm not saying we we were over gross   I set my gross weight to be in line with the Sport Pilot regulations.  My plane will climb nicely slightly over gross.

  

 My performance numbers are in the archives including weights etc.



Phil Maxson 

 601XL/Corvair

 Northwest New Jersey

   

 > From: craig(at)craigandjean.com

 	  Quote: 	
		   Subject: RE: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

 

 --> Zenith-List message posted by: "Craig Payne" <craig(at)craigandjean.com>

 

 Here is a quote from William Wynne's web site about their Corvair-equipped

 601xl (look about 3/4s of the way down the page):

 

 "Like Gus, Derek is a very burly guy. Together, they weigh more than 500

 pounds. But the 601's efficient airframe, and its 44" wide cabin flew both

 of them in comfort with a good rate of climb. In extreme cases like this, we

 do not operate the airplane with full fuel. But two FAA sized people could

 fill up the 24 gallon tanks on the XL, still carry 86 pounds of baggage, and

 be within gross weight. With the standard Corvair engine, this combination

 performs very well."

 

 http://www.flycorvair.com/601.html

 

 -- Craig


	


Explore the seven wonders of the world Learn more!  [quote][b]

Gig Giacona

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:43 pm Post subject: Re: 601 XL w/ Corvair PowerPlant

 	  pmaxpmax(at)HOTMAIL.COM wrote: 	
		   I'm not a skinny guy 	




No kidding    



DO NOT ARCIVE

_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR

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