Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group 912 pre-flight video from Avweb archives

Helen, here are a few corrections to your statements about the Katana.

The Katana DA 20A-1 first had a 80 hp 912A and then F engine with Hoffman constant speed prop. Later, the 100 hp 912S engine was put in the Katana and the model number changed to DA20-100 and the name changed to Katana 100.

Later still, the model name changed to Katana Eclipse and eventually just Eclipse and similar model called Evolution and are numbered as model DA20-C1. These latest airplanes had and still have a CONTINENTAL IO-240 and fixed pitch prop. Never had a Lycoming and still don't.

One of the highlights of my year is doing the annual inspection on a local DA20-A1 with 912F and constant speed prop, because I get to fly it. It has an easy cruise speed of 110 knots on 80 hp and is a great handling airplane with super visibility both up and down, because the seat is in front of the main spar.... like the RV-12. It is a great airplane and I wish I owned one. There is a DA-C1 at our field too though I've never flown it but have flown in formation with him in the A1.

Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY
http://sites.google.com/site/riddletr/a&pmechanix

--- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, Helen Woods <Helen_Woods@...> wrote:
>
> Coming from the certified world, I believe he was fully right on number
> 1 (although you are right that "afraid" would have been better
> wording). Untrained people on the certified side lump all Rotax
> together. Look at the Diamond Katana. Totally flopped when it first
> came over here because it had a 912S on the front. No one would fly
> it. Even today you can pick hose up in trade a plane for virtually
> nothing. Instead diamond had to rush a Lycombing into production (a
> model still plagued with issues because it was rushed into production
> for this), and then increase the fuel capacity for the new gas guzzler,
> then increase the useful load to haul the gas, just because Americans
> wouldn't fly behind a Rotax. Even years later I caught a story in a
> major aviation magazine about the Katana that explained that the
> original flopped in the US because it has a 2 stroke snow mobile engine
> on it!
>
> Helen
>
> On 2/2/2010 9:55 PM, Bob Comperini wrote:
> > On 06:34 PM 2/2/2010, apollonorthamerica wrote:
> >
> >> I think Bob C. can comment well on that.
> >>
> > Ok, lets pool our observations. Mine:
> >
> > (1) He indicates that the 912 had a "bad reputation". I don't believe that's true at all. Yes, its true non Rotax people were probably "afraid" of the engine. Maybe that's what he means
> >
> > (2) When he gets in to the discussion of the carbs, he also mentions the "independent ignition systems control the left and right bank" of the engine (as opposed to top/bottom)
> >
> > (3) I'm not comfortable with the "two carbs in one" statement, where he talks about the "staring carb" (choke).
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Bob Comperini
> > e-mail: bob@...
> > WWW: http://www.fly-ul.com
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

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