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The engine in the Celera is designed for aircraft use. It is a turbocharged turbodiesel. In order to get the Chevrolet V-8 to work at altitude, you'd need to p
by AmVess 6y ago
The engine in the Celera is designed for aircraft use. It is a turbocharged turbodiesel.
In order to get the Chevrolet V-8 to work at altitude, you'd need to put a turbocharger on it which would destroy the fuel economy, especially in this application. Also, automotive engines are not designed to withstand the heavy duty cycle that this aircraft requires.
- 55873445216111 6y agoActually, the Chevrolet LS series small block V8 has been used in airplanes and helicopters. The only automotive engine series I am aware of that used in aviation. http://www.v8seabee.com/ http://www.v8seabee.com/. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_Hummingbird https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_Hummingbird
- scarier 6y agoThere have been a number of experimentals running Mazda rotary engines, air-cooled VWs, Subaru boxers, and Corvair engines. I think there's a company that fairly recently started making some good-looking Suzuki engine conversions, as well. Probably a ton I'm missing, as well.
- KMag 6y agoThere are plenty of automotive engines that have been converted for use as aircraft engines. Subaru EA81 flat-4s, for one. I've also seen VW Beetle engines and Mazda rotaries converted for experimental aircraft use. Snowmobiles and jetskis aren't automobiles, but many ultralight engines are based on snowmobile/jetski engine designs. (Rotax is very common, though I've seen at least one BD-5 with a Polaris snowmobile engine converted for aircraft use.)