I would do it again
I have several questions, the main being if you had it all to do over again would you go the same route, lessons learned and things to avoid, and what sort of performance/ fuel burn are you seeing.
Any and all guidance is appreciated by those who are using or building with a rotary, or those with information on how to contact those people
Not really interested in hearing anyone comment on "Why would you want to do that?" or any bashing of any kind.
I would do it again. About half of everything you hear about alternate engines (from both sides) is true, but I'm not going to tell you which half
I just found this great video of Gary Spencer's long EZ with a chevy. Pretty much says it all:
http://pursuitofflight.com/longezv8.html
To summarize, you will definately save money over the long haul, but not very much on the initial installation.
It is a LOT of extra work, but pays off. It added at least a year to the project. The first couple hundred hrs I was putting in almost 2 of work for every flight hour. Now I rarely do anyting besides regular maintiance. I have carefully detailed all my issues on my web page if you care to have a look (link in my signature).
If I were to re-do it now, I would pretty much do the same things. Now that the renisis engine is available I might consider that instead of the 13B. I might consider p-ports instead of the turbo, but I have been liking the turbo lately. I am making over 240h.p. right now when I care to burn that much gas (around 25gph). BUT! It has taken me the better part of 6 years flying to understand what it takes to push the engine and turbo that hard.
My installation weighs less than one with an O-360 and CS prop.
Fuel burn is just so hard to give numbers that have any meaning. I can burn anywhere between 5 and 25 GPH depending on conditions. Look, all i.c. engines are more or less in the same ballpark reguarding efficiency given the same operating conditions. Energy is energy and thermal expansion is thermal expansion. ALL lyc, rotary, and other alternate engines are going to have a BSFC between .45 and .65 (or so) and that range only reflects differences in operating conditions (ROP, LOP, compression, supercharge, themperature, ignition timing, exhaust tuning and back pressure etc). Most real differences in fuel burn have more to do with the airframe and its drag. However, those things have been better worked out on certified engine installations...
Anyway, to better answer the question... next to a similar airplane at the same speed I will be burning about 10% more than a pistion engine if we are both running LOP. Part of that is probably cooling drag. However, I still spend less money on fuel because the vast majority of all the fuel I have used has been MOGAS. "But most lycs can run MOGAS if they wanted as well" you may be temped to say. But very few actually do, and the reason that they dont is because of the feared 'MOGAS Gremlins'. Long story short, MOGAS Gremlins cannot harm a well-designed fuel system like mine or the one you would no-doubt install if you were doing an automotive installation.
Above comments about noise... sadly, too true. Somewhat louder in flight, louder from the ground. Less pleasing higher pitch that grabs your attention more than any increase in volume. However, when it winds up and gets moving I have been told that it sounds "really awesome!"
I also agree with someone's comment to follow the FlyRotary list. Can't beleive everything you hear, but at least the author of anything there will believe what they are saying is true. Also check in on some automotive tuning/racing forums especially for low down on the rotary. If I were to admit on one of those forums that I am making only 240h.p. they would tease me. That little 190 lb. engine block is truly remarkable in the amout of power the car racers tease out of it. I saw a video of one (yes, a 2-rotor) on a dyno making over 900 SHP! (300-450 RWHP is more typical of the amature guys - and most of that is probably B.S... But still
Like others have said, its not for everyone. Do it more because you want to and find it interesting than any other reason.