QUESTION: It seems that most automotive engines can be boosted in power to approximately one horsepower per cubic inch (obviously at the expense of reliability). Would it be possible to boost a Lycoming 720 engine to, say, 500 or 600 hp and be reliable enough to compete in a race such as the ones at […]
Ask Paul
To restart or idle the engine: Which means more wear and tear?
QUESTION: I’m fortunate in that, in addition to giving glider rides, I’m able to fly the tow planes for a couple of glider operations. The tow planes are CallAir A-9s and Pawnees. All are equipped with O-540s. One of the organizations requires that the tow plane be shut down if the wait for the next […]
What engines should I avoid?
QUESTION: I have a 1969 Skyhawk with a Lycoming O-320-E2D engine. I think it is an excellent engine. I would like to update to a 1975-1980 Skyhawk. I heard Lycoming had trouble with engines in 1977-78. Is that true? What engines should I stay away from? What year did the company come out with the […]
The fine print: Your logbook has many of the answers you need
QUESTION: I own a 1968 Cherokee 140 with a 160 hp O-320-D2A engine that was installed prior to my purchase of the aircraft. According to the logbook endorsement and the tach installed in the aircraft, the redline on the engine was reduced when the new engine was hung. The new redline is 2,550 instead of […]