Page 2 of 2
Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:53 pm
by blueldr
To really appreciate the Cessna 195, you should be able to have one to admire and also have a C-170 to fly.
Most of our members have no experience operating radial engines. They really have no appreciation for the cost of fifty weight engine lubricating oil sold in five gallon buckets.
Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:19 pm
by bagarre
I've had just one flight in a 195. It was from College Park down to Richmond (an hour or so).
In Richmond, we wiped a quart of oil off the wind screen, put three quarts in the motor and left another half quart on their clean pretty tarmac. Round engines sure love their oil.
I'd still love to own one for a few years tho.
For the airplanes I like, I think I was born 40 years too late.
jasonlax, if you want to do something cool with that Rotec stick it on the front of your S1C. It would look like a 1/4 scale Waco

Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:29 pm
by mike roe
A good friend has a beautiful award winning 1952 195. He has owned it for close to 40 years. Has gone thru about 4 engines. The plane is amazing. It excells in long cross countrys. Leaned out at altitude I believe he said about 12-13 gallons per hour. Cruising approx 150 mph. I have about 20 hours right seat and loved every minute. His has the 275 Jake with the light gear. Its set up for IFR. Operates out of a 1200 foot strip. One way in, one way out. Landing up hill. They are great planes.
Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:12 pm
by Poncho73
Well I maintained and flew it from 1980 til 1997, we sold it to a guy in AZ who groundlooped it about one month after we sold it!! The plane is still around, it's now with a helicopter guy in Mineral Wells, Texas, but in peices waiting for a rebuild. It had the 275hp but worked pretty good and would burn 1/3 litre of oil per hour. Daily belly cleaning after every flight is the way to go, some guys used to route the beather right back to the tail to avoid that oil breather mess. I would buy one if the opportunity came around.
Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:55 am
by rupertjl
I have money on a r3600 rotec for my Hatz Classic that I'm building, but I'm starting to think I may go the other way due to current employment status with Lycoming, they're discounts much better and I know of their reliability. But I have to say they do look and sound good on biplanes!
Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 10:07 am
by ginbug92b
My buddy on my field bought 3 of those Rotecs, 2 small ones and 1 of the big ones. They look neat and they are trouble free on a static display airplane. If you want to fly get a Continental or Lyc.
Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:03 pm
by Fearless Tower
gahorn wrote:
But consider this, if the people who mfr the engine thought this would be profitable.....
they'd have already been working on it. THEY are the ones who would stand to benefit.
The chances that you could do it profitably our economically are nil.
Won't happen....the guys down under who make the things have more business than the can shake a stick at in the WWI and early barnstorming market that is booming down in Australia and New Zealand. In short, there is no incentive for them.
Re: Rotec radial
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:48 pm
by bagarre
"If it was worth doing, someone would have already done it"
If everyone believed that statement, nothing would ever get done.