My Quest for a Reliable Race Engine - the AeroSport SEO-540X

[Rogue Rocket]

All,
I have been the beneficiary of the good ship VAF and its brain trust for a number of years since purchasing my Harmon Rocket II in 2008. I have spent the last four years trying to make it go fast. At the Reno Air Races 2016, our team posted a new personal and type best of 281mph on the pylons.

In the spirit of VAF, I will share my journey to develop a powerful and light race engine that I fly as my recreational flyer for most of the year(reliability/durability could not be sacrificed). I now cruise at 215 KTS true and can really get across the country miles (but sacrificing mpg.) In successive posts when time permits, I will share the history of the plane and the many trade-off decisions/performance expectations to arrive at a supercharged, direct-port EFI, dual EI, ADI-cooled Lycoming 540 build by AeroSport Power. I shall also post some pictures once I get that option figured out.

For anyone attending Copperstate, please stop by the plane for a first-hand look and chat.

Throttle Up! BB

[wingnut49b]

Really looking forward to reading about this!

[rvmills]

Originally Posted by wingnut49b

Really looking forward to reading about this!

You're not the only one! (wringing hands with devilish grin...where's that icon?)

Good on ya Bill! You're a good man! You've done amazing work, and it shows. I can't even keep you in sight any more, and that's a long way from you just creeping ahead a couple years ago! Hat's off, my friend!

By the way, what is your MP/RPM/FF (and avg temps) at that 215 KTAS cruise? Have you determined a best cruise altitude? It'll be an interesting data point, given the ability to keep MP high with the boost, but having the Sport Wing (like mine). Interesting comparisons ahead!

Cheers,
Bob

[Rogue Rocket]

I was fortunate to purchase this Harmon Rocket II from 3 time builder, Gary Banducci of Bakersfield California. It sat next to John Harmon's personal aircraft and Gary did a great job on the every aspect of the 1998 build. After my transition to a high-performance tail dragger, I came to learn the plane was pretty fast and clean - - - a great platform to start from. 800 hours on airframe and engine at my purchase in 2008.

The naturally aspirated Lycoming IO-540 was build by Gary and tested at Ly-con. It had 10:1 pistons, one ElectroAir EI / one Mag, Barrett Cold Air induction, Airflow Performance FM 400 Fuel Servo, Dual 3:1 Harmon Exhaust. A normal cruise 10,000 MSL, 2300rpm, 18"MP yielded 185 to 190 KTS true at 12+ gph.

From 2008 to 2012, this chariot took me from the Canadian Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico, east coast to west coast and well into Mexico (I always remember landing her on the Alfoncinas sand spit with a full load on board). A first race in the Sport Racing League (Eupharta WA in 2012) gave me a baseline of 240 mph. The quest for drag reduction, prop efficiency and engine power continues to the this day. I shall post a few pics of the bird as she was upon my acquisition from Gary.

[Rogue Rocket]

I hope these links work as I am still figuring out how to post pictures.


Here is the aircraft shortly after being introduced to Canadian winters in 2008: https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0090009/p...4/30104481234/

Here are avionics at acquisition (note first generation Argus Moving Map GPS and CD player )
https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0099009/p...4/30436434840/


Here is the engine in 2008: https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0090009/p...4/30101558773/

[scsmith]

Originally Posted by RV8JD

He even looks a little like Bob.

[Weasel]

Originally Posted by Rogue Rocket

All,
In successive posts when time permits, I will share the history of the plane and the many trade-off decisions/performance expectations to arrive at a supercharged, direct-port EFI, dual EI, ADI-cooled Lycoming 540 build by AeroSport Power.
Throttle Up! BB

Sounds like a fun adventure!

I see you are using flickr. If you want to post the picture so that it shows here on the board try this: when viewing the picture in flickr click on the little forward arrow at the bottom right of the screen. This will provide you with the sharing options. from there select bbcode. then select the size of the image as you want it displayed. Then copy the url that is provided from flicker to your post. from there delete out everything in the link except the img brackets and the https link that is between them. It should look something like this.



If you want to see how I did that quote my post and read the part that it quotes. Yeh its a pain but if I try to explain it I may deteriorate to a rant against this forum host so I wont.

[rvmills]

Originally Posted by RV8JD

Originally Posted by scsmith

He even looks a little like Bob.

I like it...the cape looks like it would go with a red plane with flames on it too...just sayin'! Of course, Bill's plane is red too, and burns by me like the preverbal bat out of (h-e double sticks) too...so this is still on topic!

Cheers,
Bob

[Toobuilder]

Now that I finally see a picture with the cowl installed, I'm amazed that its almost exactly what I have in mind for mine. Looks like you have dropped the induction scoop and moved it right up against the prop, and squared off the cooling inlets (like the RV-8). Looks good.

[Ralph Inkster]

That snorkel was pretty effective. Bill normally saw at least an inch boost even though the scat connections to the servo were quite leaky!
The snorkel inlet was a bit unusual in shape, the leading inlet opening was about an inch wider diameter than the servo, inlet gradually tapering down to servo diameter like a velocity stack. The snorkel inlet edge was quite sharp, I assume so the outside shape could be maintained as narrow as possible.

Our Supercharger mods to the engine required more room up front so the original cowl (pictured above) got relegated to the back of the hangar.