Light Aircraft Association

For an outlay of about £1000 gets you a new off the shelf Vanguard engine which delivers 20HP. Since they are popular with Go-Karters there is a kit to increase the output to between 30 to 40 HP. Can anyone point me to a kit supplier in the UK.

Bill, I think you can get them from Briggs and Stratton Uk Master dealers, or B&S UK themselves
I think this is the engine you refer to
http://www5.briggsandstratton.com/eu/en ... =32&pId=66

Find a dealer is on the right

I also think the Solo 35 and Solo 40 engines use the Vanguard as the lump
http://www.soloflightltd.com/SOLO%20ENGINE..html

BTW have you been to this site?
http://www.vanguardengines.com/

Don't know about go-karts, Bill, but a couple of years ago I had an email correspondence with a hovercraft builder who sold tuned B&S engines. I'll see if I can find this. Also, don't forget the M Colomban has done some development work on this engine for the Luciole -- I've heard the exhaust system/prop combination on his engine results in a very quiet and efficient powerplant.

These were the hovercraft guys who tweak B&S engines:http://webstarter.easily.co.uk/users/ww ... ngines&a=0
The guy I spoke to said that at this power they were very reliable.

Good link Nick - I'll make contact
Thanks.

Speak to Richard Teverson if you haven't already, his Luciole uses the Vanguard engine (with mods).

http://www.luciole.co.uk/

regards

Colin

I have been in touch with Richard who informs me that Colomban's development of the engine may be "protected" and that permission may be required to incorporate his design changes. The attraction of this particular power unit is that it uses direst drive rather than have a reduction assembly, thereby reducing weight. His propellor was specifically designed to match the conversion. I don't know whether buying a set of plans for the Luciole gives authority then to use the ideas for a "one off" use elsewhere.

How's your french?

No harm in asking.

It might be worth asking Richard Mole, of this parish, for information: I believe he was looking to use the "Colomban" engine on his own project.

Yes, so far as I know, it is the case that Michel Colomban has not released the full details of his engine conversion except to licenced holders of the Luciole drawings, and a very few others. After all, he has done more than five years of painstaking engineering development. Furthermore, there are some conversion parts that are not fully detailed on the drawings and that are supplied through third parties (electronic ignition, propeller hub, induction system, matching composite propeller etc) - and so far as I know these are only sold to licenced Luciole plans holders.

But that said, the Briggs and Stratton engine is a very robust engine that makes a very good starting point for conversion as a small aircraft engine. I think there are several other aircraft conversions around and there is also a fair amount of experience with the engine in the small hovercraft world - to say nothing of other exciting 'off-road' vehicles.

In general terms I would think that there are three of four main areas to consider. Whether to retain (or modify) rather than reject the flywheel (as on the Luciole conversion). Whether to retain or develop the induction system. Whether to use a direct drive or a re-drive. And most of the choices ar einter-linked - whether to retain the ignition system if you do modify the flywheel etc etc.

Your choices will probably depend upon your intended use for the engine. So a re-drive is particularly good if you want a large diameter slow turning propeller and a decent rate of climb (Eindecker?) - but a direct drive is almost certainly better if you want the fastest cruising speed. If you use a wooden propeller it may contribute enough rotational inertia to allow a reduction in flywheel weight without introducing too many emgine mounting problems or torsional vibration issues. If you insist on a low-hung carburettor (maybe for safety reasons) then you will have no choice but to develop another induction system.

Only if you want the very lightest installation would you consider a complex conversion. Weight is obviously a major consideration but the Solo engine on the Eindecker shows what can be achieved without reducing the engine weight to the barest minimum.

You could also take a look at the Bailey engines.

Richard

There's a rather sweet little Czech microlight that can be powered by a B&S -- some pictures here: http://www.sdplanes.com/sd1buildersa.htm
(Its wing is too small to make it as a UK SSDR.)

Another similar design with retractable gear - the Czec b612 powered by a Rotax 447.

The B612 is a big step up in weight and power, but does look rather fun. To return to the "Colomban" engine, I'm not sure I understand the commercial logic of not selling it/parts thereof more widely: if these engines became the de facto standard for aircraft of this ilk -- in the same way that the VW served/serves for larger aircraft, and Rotax 912 has achieved ubiquity -- that's a much larger market than just Luciole builders!

Perhaps the problem is that Briggs and Stratton do not want these used as aeroengines due to liability issues and that Michel Colomban is trying to keep the lid in the subject to protect supplies to Luciole builders.

Colomban had a Honda V twin of similar pre-conversion HP in one of the prototype aircraft for assessment. I wonder why he opted for the Briggs in the end.