Just seeing if anyone is interested in this idea before I start working on the code.
Anyone interested in an aircraft engine challenge where an air-frame would be provided but the challenge is to build an engine that balances power, weight, and fuel use. The plane would then try to fly about 300 miles or about 480km using that engine.
This contest is will take a while to set up.
Sounds interesting.
Are modified engines allowed (specifically bore/stroke) to simulate actual engines, or are we limiting to the confines of 120/120mm
As far as I am aware light aircraft use engines similar to road cars, some even use actual car engines modified for aerial application. I presume this challenge asks for something similar.
No, there is no need to use modified engines.
This is the airframe I am looking at using and it did not have a particularly large engine. I was able to set the engine date to 1940 and make a V8 engine that compared favorably to this planes 9 cylinder radial engine.
well… iirc there’s a LOT of subaru engines are being used for aerial purposes.
and i already got a 3.3L i4 engine family already.
just have to dumb it down a bit.
This is a great idea! i am 100 percent behind this.
as an aircraft guy, GO FOR IT!!!
i guess you need to start working on that rule and parameters
Looks like I will.
Rules are no modified engines. For extra challenge the first contest year will be 1940, when this air-frame was built.
Things to consider, the plane (minus its Lycoming R-680-9 radial piston engine) has a dry weight of 2,155 pounds or about 977 kg. Its max takeoff weight is 3,400 pounds or about 1542 kg. The Lycoming R-680-9 radial engine weighs in at 515 lbs or 234 kg. Any engine that weighs more then that has a weight penalty due to the need to maintain the aircraft center of mass.
The plane carries 50 gallons of fuel which weighs 300 lbs or 136 kg. My fat butt is the pilot and that is 220 lbs or 99 kg.
I am going to add a flat 30 lbs or 14 kg for things like oil and coolant.
All that means that the plane without engine weighs in at 2,705 lbs (1227 kg) so you have 695 pounds (315 kg) to play with.
I made an engine and did some fuel consumption calculations. I dont see anyone making the 300 miles, I will be amazed if you break 200 miles.
Points are assigned by a few things.
Left over weight for cargo.
Engine cost.
Engine reliability (very important).
Distance flown.
How much power do we need?
The plane is normally equipped with a 295HP engine.
Do we only need to reach 295, or do we get bonus for going over?
If you want to bounce some ideas off of me, I would be happy to help…I play with real airplanes on a daily basis, and I know enough about their design to be dangerous.
At very least I could help you come up with an aircraft simulation model that can return some meaningful results, like range, speed, takeoff/climb performance, payload and whatnot.
How is the fuel economy calculated, by the in-game overview, or are you going to calculate it manually from an average RPM over the lifetime of the flight?
Series of questions time!
1: Air Cooled engines are generally 2/3 the weight of their equivalent Liquid cooled counterparts. Will you be accounting for this, or are we penalized (by some degree) once we exceed 234kg.
2: Aircraft grade fuel is 100-Aki (not 100 Ron) so we already have a huge knock penalty vs AV-Gas. Are you accounting for this.
3: 295hp is the Sea level takeoff HP of the R-680-9, its cruising speed power is less, do we need to achieve the R-680’s take off power? if not is there a minimum take off power we need to reach?
4: Thanks
Fuel economy will actually be the “easiest” part as I already know the fuel consumption per kw/h from the game. I just pull that since the engine operates at a predictable power output for takeoff, cruise, and landing. There is not a lot of variation in the power output like there is in a car.
All engines in automation are liquid cooled and the weight for that is included. We have no way to make an air cooled engine at the moment.
The Stinson_L-1_Vigilant actually ran on 87 octane fuel, the fuel you have available in game is better.
295hp while encouraged is not required. The plane takes flies at speeds as low as 31 miles an hour. But if the power is to low you may not get into the air.
That didn’t actually answer my question. I want to know how it is calculated because I want to know how to tune my engine’s fuel curve. If this is an airplane engine I assume it is going to be revved to its peak power and pretty much left there for the duration of the flight, so I need to tune for best efficiency at max HP. Is that a correct assumption?
By “modified engines”, do you mean turbos?
buddy, no turbo in 1940.