Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15
EXPERTS SPURRED
TO GET NEW ENGINE
Successor to Wartime Air.
plane Machine Sought by
Manufacturers.

The rapidly decreasing supply Of the
wartime Curtiss Ox-5 9o-horsepower
water-cooled engine, which has served
as the backbone of commercial aviation
up to the present, has given an impetus
to designers and manufacturers through
out the country to turn out successor
to this old reliable powerplant and at
the same time develop a line of air.
craft engines that will answer every
need of the commercial airplane builder.
Before the newly built engine can be
marketed and flown in planes. however,
II must receive the approved type GER
tificate" of the Department of Com
merce, as provided for by law. This re-
quirement safeguards the owner of the
plane, the unsuspecting passengers as
well as the manufacturer. Once the
stamp Of official approval has been
placed on an engine. it can go forth
into production and commerce as ma
chine known to be safe and sound as
long as 1t is not abused. The depart
ment does not guarantee infallibility.
but approves the principles involved. the
type of construction and has evidence,
through a gruelling official test, that it
functions properly.
Four Engines are Tested.
To date four ofathe numerous engines
manufactured in the last few months
for commercial use have been tested at
the Bureau of Standards and approved
They are: The Fairchild Carniriez 100
horsepower. 4-cyiifftier radial air
cooled. manufactured by the Fairchild
Engine Corporation OF Farmingdale.
Long Island: the Warner lio-norse-
power 7-cylinder radial air-cocied
made in Detroit: the Kinner 7s-horse-
power. S-cyiinder. air-cooled radfal
made in California. and the Velie S.
cylinder 45-horsepowcr. air-cooled radial,
manufactured at Moline, III.
There Is now one engine on test at
the Bureau Of Standards, the Menasco
9-cyiinder, radial air-cooled engine
with rated horsepower of $50, con-
version from the French water cooled
Salmon powerplant. It is made in Cali
fornia. Awaiting test are two more, the
FIoco 7-cyiinder, air cooled radfal. with
rated horsepower OF i6o, and the Day
ton Bear" q 4-cyiinder-in-line air.
of 100. The former Is made in Cali
fornia and the latter In Dayton, Ohio.
Engines for Military Forces.
Before the air commerce act of 1925.
requiring the approval OF engines vent
into effect, there we're number OF
modern engines being built for the mil
itary services which since have been
applied to commercial usage. In ORDER
to avoid duplication, the Department Of
Commerce accepts the engines approved
by the Army and Navy so that the list
Of approved-type powerplants Is greater
than four. Included among the engines
developed primarily for military pur-
poses, but which since have enjoyed
wide commercial use are the Wright
''whirlwind" and the Pratt ~ Whitney
Wasp" and Hornet"
All engines submitted 10 the Bureau
Of Standards for approval first must
have been run by the manufacturers for
at least IS hours and log OF this run
shall be submitted 10 the department.
Dual ignition systems with at least tao
spark plugs per cylinder are required
on all engines.
The block test consists of 50-hour
endurance run in 10 five-hour periods.
During the first FIVE hours the engine
is run with the throttle wide open, the
speed being at least equal to the rated
speed and the power at least 10 per
cent in excess Of the rated power. Dur
ing the remaining IS hours the engine
shall be run at approximately rated
speed and the horsepower developed
should at no time be less than the rdteo
horsepower.
Test Is Thorough.
During the test not more than three
forced stops are allowed. A penalty run
OF two hours Is added to any period m
which forced stop is made. Excessive
water, fuel or oil leaks developing at the
engine require forced stops and In all
/ cases the Bureau Of Standards Is the
Judge as 10 what constitutes a forced
| stop. Minor repairs and requirements
| MAJ be made between test periods II
suitable tools and parts are available.
| but the test schedule Is not delayed on
| this account. The failure Of major
part OF the engine terminates the test.
Upon completion of the block tests. a
/ complete tear down and detailed IN
| Spection of engine parts shall be made,
| particular attention being paid 70 ex-
| cessive wear or signs Of failure. After
successfully passing the required block
test the engine is installed In an air.
plane and gwen an actual service test OF
| a. least 10 hours In the sir which shan
include a climb al full throttle TO the
service ceiling of the airplane.
Throughout the block test, readings
on II different technical subjects are
taken and recorded and these data play
| a large part In the final decision OF the
department.