Posted for "George Braly" <gwbraly@gami.com>:

 Mike,
 
 You, too,  have correctly characterized the issues and considerations.
 
 Regards,  George

"""
From the data presented at Ada on engine cooling, it is the dogged attention
 to detail design that pays the dividends when it comes to keeping our
 engines cool. The only real benefit to a plenum, besides looking totally
 cool, is that you have eliminated possible leakage paths for the incoming
 air. The downside is that you have a reduced volume in which to decelerate
 the high-velocity low-pressure air into a more useful, lower drag,
 low-velocity high-pressure air source.
"""