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Adam:
In response to your query about the EngineAir V8, indeed, the company went out of business after the unfortunate crash of a Beech Duke which had two of the V8's installed. The crash was a loss of control during an attempted landing with one engine out. One engine had quit after several hours of flight in hard IFR while powered by battery-only (Pilot took off with known bad alternator).
The assets were acquired by a new company, Silver Wings Aviation, who are currently in the midst of a program to upgrade a few small items remaining (wiring, heat shields, etc. etc.)
I think there were about 30 powerplants delivered, complete with PSRU. It is my understanding that about 18 of those have flown. The first Kittyhawk-to-Oshkosh race was nearly won by Rahm's V8-powered Lancair-4, and I think he won the second one (by discovering that the airplane actually goes faster at full throttle than at part throttle).
The guy who claims, on his website, to have had problems with the PSRU has never actually owned nor operated the PSRU he badmouths so blatantly, nor has he ever worked on one. He is a self-appointed authority on all known subjects, who CHOSE not to take delivery of the PSRU and to replace it with a far less suitable design. This decision was reached in the midst of a controversy about a failure which occured in the prototype unit after over 800 flight hours and after it had been installed on several different aircraft and raced several times. The production version of the PSRU has proven to be highly reliable, several of them have accumulated over 500 flight hours. For more info on that PSRU, see http://www.epi-eng.com/GBX-Mark09.htm
For information on the availability and pricing of the improved V8 powerplant, contact Silver Wings Aviation at 207-576-9707.
Jack Kane
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