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Thread: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

  1. #1

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    Default Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    I am doing some "hangar planning" for my next experimental build.I am an A&P, working on a 4 month on/off overseas contract. I've built most of 3 Cubs (2 certified, 1 experimental) and did work on a tail dragger Colt and a Tri-Pacer, and am finally thinking about working on something for myself.After looking at my own needs, I have narrowed it down to either a PA11/PA18-95 clone or a stretched Vagabond clone with Cub-length wings.I've been out of civil aviation since 2008, and was not surprised to see that several new alternative engines have become available, and am intrigued with the Yamaha Apex conversions being flown right now. They appear to weigh just under 200 pounds, fwf all inclusive, and put out 150 hp reliably without power adders. Total cost appears to in the $13-15k range if one builds up the fwf. $20k or so if you pay someone else to do it.Has anyone else been looking at these? Anyone flying a Shortwing Piper behind one?My goal is to keep the bird light, and I was planning on using an O-200 to keep it LSA qualified.

  2. #2
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    I know Steve Henry and have flown the last 3 contests with him. Granted he is getting the very most out of his Apex but I would not want to engineer everything, MAP the engine etc, etc. I am better at tried and true, build the airplane and go fly. It is amazing to watch but I don't have the kind of time Steve has put into his. The other thing is the number of these flying, a handful maybe? Steve has trailered his to both the Gainsville, TX and ArkanSTOL event and only had 40 some odd hours on it as of that Saturday night after the ArkanSTOL event.

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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    Yeah, if I were going to go with the Apex, the point would be to do something unique, and to do some exploration.O-200 would be the easy button, for sure.

  4. #4
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    Quote Originally Posted by 120mm View Post
    Yeah, if I were going to go with the Apex, the point would be to do something unique, and to do some exploration.O-200 would be the easy button, for sure.
    There are ways to up the hp on an 0-200.
    Last edited by Stephen; 10-09-2020 at 10:18 AM.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen View Post
    There are ways to up the up on an 0-200.
    Yeah, I originally wanted a C90, but those are becoming super hard to find. I figured I could put a better cam in the O200 get the same thing, more or less.

    The small continentals just seem to be circling the drain, maintenance wise. I'm just interested in more modern solutions to committing aviation.

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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    Looking at the available options, and for my needs, which are about 100 hp/ish, the Aeromomentum AM13/15 appears to be a better fit.

    It "appears" to be worked out to a greater extent than the Yamahas, and the price also appears to be nicer.

    https://aeromomentum.com/am13.html

    https://aeromomentum.com/am15.html


  7. #7
    RaggedyAnn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    I will more than have my hands full simply restoring 3012Z to meet it's type certificate, but when I'm day dreaming, I've thought very seriously about a 2 seat short wing powered by a 3300cc Corvair, built to William Wynne specs. This would be a repeatable build to include a new USA mf'd billet crank, 5th bearing to take the prop loads, and has proven multiple times to put 125hp to the prop. FWF is 245lbs ish, a bit more than the 200lbs you're shooting for, but there are literally hundreds of these conversions flying, with many approaching 1000 hours in service. A really neat wagabond was used as a test bed by flycorvair at one point. The focus of William Wynne is reliability and repeatability, a very scientific approach resulting in very low risk when the processes are followed. From what I hear the 6 cylinder is almost electric smooth, and he doesn't recommend any combination that won't climb at gross with a dead cylinder. Much more of a old and proven approach than some of the new and exciting ones, but he's been refining the conversion and support parts for the better part of 3 decades now. May not really meet your needs, and isn't really in line with the original question, but I'd love to see somebody do it really well!

  8. #8
    akflyer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    There are more than a "few" flying in lots of various platforms from trikes to fixed wing at just about all corners of the globe now. Appears to be a pretty decent package with lots of mods being developed for it. Teal has the best gear boxes and multiple people are making the exhaust and various mounts. I am thinking of one for my Coyote to replace the 0290 that I have for it now.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Yamaha Apex on an experimental short wing(ish)

    For a competition or stunt plane the Yamaha is the perfect engine If you put on lots of hours cross country stick to the Lycosaurus 160 HP with Polished and ported Cylinders with a cub Hotrod exhaust will do a fine Job (if you are going experimental) without sacrificing reliability. In the long run if you fly lots it is cheaper.
    To Many one of a kind planes out there that barley ever fly most of them with none standard engines. If i was to do stol Competitions I would not look any further than the Yamaha I did Race them in snowmobile drag racing with the same turbo technology that Steve Henry is using and they work well for that.
    .

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