The Sealand RED V12 Diesel Beaver flies!

[rigpiggy]

Is there a limp home mode? Like the old Cadillac northstar v8 where it will fire every other cylinder...rinse repeat in case of loss of coolant.

[PilotDAR]

Yes, Rig, there is! I tested it today! I turned off one "half" of the engine, and continued on the other "half" no problem. I have posted the video to FB, as I don't really know how to post it here... 43% power is available with half the engine turned off. Cruising flight at 32% power is no problem. This is sort of a twin engined plane with one propeller!

[fish4life]

Yes, Rig, there is! I tested it today! I turned off one "half" of the engine, and continued on the other "half" no problem. I have posted the video to FB, as I don't really know how to post it here... 43% power is available with half the engine turned off. Cruising flight at 32% power is no problem. This is sort of a twin engined plane with one propeller!

Is it 2 separate cooling loops/ radiators for each “half” if so that’s pretty neat

[PilotDAR]

Yes, everything other than the crankshaft, gearbox, propeller and fuel to the firewall is dual system, independent of the other system. Airframe complete dual electrical systems. This nearly a twin engined Beaver!

[fish4life]

That’s awesome

[rigpiggy]

I was actually referring to the northstar system where in a coolant loss every other firing in a cylinder is shutoff using air thru the cylinder as a coolant. But that does sound interesting. any word on when the v8, or v6 version will come out for navajos , 206s and the like?

[Jerz]

DAR, I m jealous . You are involved in some interesting projects. One of my all time favorite AC getting new hart. Turbo Beaver performance on piston fuel burn of cheaper Jef fuel. The air intake looks oversize for the cooling requirements of a 500hp diesel. Is it also intercooler inlet? Does it have double HPFPs?

[PilotDAR]

Yes, the intake is large, there are two radiators (lower), and two intercoolers (upper). There are two high pressure fuel pumps. everything other than crankshhaft and reduction gearbox are left and right duplicates. You can (and I did) switch off half the engine, and the other half continues to run to get you home. 43% power is available with the other half of the engine shut down. 33% required for level flight, so enough power. It's a super system, and I am delighted to have been flying it. More testing for STC approval, so we'll be at it for a while, and it's going to be a great mod when we're done!

[Maynard]

That's pretty darned good performance for a Beaver, of any stripe, and impressive climb performance too.

Any concerns around higher cruising speeds and airframe stresses, like the DHC-3T modifications?

The otter had the same limitations before the turbine conversion.

[Maynard]

Yes, the intake is large, there are two radiators (lower), and two intercoolers (upper). There are two high pressure fuel pumps. everything other than crankshhaft and reduction gearbox are left and right duplicates. You can (and I did) switch off half the engine, and the other half continues to run to get you home. 43% power is available with the other half of the engine shut down. 33% required for level flight, so enough power. It's a super system, and I am delighted to have been flying it. More testing for STC approval, so we'll be at it for a while, and it's going to be a great mod when we're done!

Any plans for float testing in the near future?

[PilotDAR]

Yes, Sealand has a set of amphibs for it, and we'll do more flight testing in that configuration this spring.

[digits_]

Yes, Rig, there is! I tested it today! I turned off one "half" of the engine, and continued on the other "half" no problem. I have posted the video to FB, as I don't really know how to post it here... 43% power is available with half the engine turned off. Cruising flight at 32% power is no problem. This is sort of a twin engined plane with one propeller!

This is epic

[Maynard]

Yes, Sealand has a set of amphibs for it, and we'll do more flight testing in that configuration this spring.

Awesome

[PilotDAR]

On Friday (April 14th) I plan to stop by a few Vancouver area airports with Sealand's diesel Beaver, so those interested can have a look. A popular social media page with a DHC Beaver group will be updated by Sealand staff as the where and when I'll stop, as I progress, if anyone is interested...

[flyinhigh]

Buffalo Joe is salivating in anticipation that he can continue to keep pt-6s off the wing of the DC3. Lol

[PilotDAR]

For those near Toronto who might like to see the diesel Beaver before it heads back out west, I plan to stop into Burlington mid day Friday with it. Precise time to be determined....

[photofly]

Bring it to the Island, and we'll have a whip-round for the landing fee?

[tdawe]

It's always been my understanding that although a diesel engine could burn Jet-A, it wouldn't do well in the long run as diesel fuel had lubricating properties for a diesel engines piston rings etc. that Jet-A does not have. Am I wrong on this?

and if not do they address this through modifications of the engine, or a fuel additive?

[PilotDAR]

The engine is type certified for use with Jet A. Diesel fuel certification is planned for the future, though is not a priority for now. Jet A is very easy to get wherever a Beaver needs to operate.

[lownslow]

It's always been my understanding that although a diesel engine could burn Jet-A, it wouldn't do well in the long run as diesel fuel had lubricating properties for a diesel engines piston rings etc. that Jet-A does not have.

I believe automotive diesels rely on the lubricity of their fuels to keep pumps and things going. Certified aero engines that can run on jet fuel are designed to get by just fine on jet fuel.

Look at it a totally different way: gasoline is a solvent and we don’t think twice about what that could be doing to pumps, etc. because they’re designed for it.

[rigpiggy]

Many eons back I used to fuel planes. To that end we took 10l/ daily and every tank farm fill. We had lots of 55 gal drums that were(contaminated) that were perfectly fine. I used to sell to a construction company for 50$/barrel they would blend in a litre of 2cycle oil and use in their excavators etc..... There was only so much I could use in my diesel rabbit!

[PilotDAR]

As long as the weather cooperates, I'll plan to take the RED diesel Beaver to the COPA Flight 23 North Bay brunch Sunday, if anyone would like to have a closer look...

[JasonE]

I was away Sunday. Let me know if it will be displayed anywhere else this summer.

[PilotDAR]

The diesel Beaver is safely back at home in Campbell River BC. I believe that it will be available to be seen at airshows in Boundary Bay, and Abbottsford, though I do not have the details of those events...

[goldeneagle]

The diesel Beaver is safely back at home in Campbell River BC. I believe that it will be available to be seen at airshows in Boundary Bay, and Abbottsford, though I do not have the details of those events...

I'm sure it'll be on display for the Wings'n'Wheels event in Campbell River. I believe that's on July 9th this year.