----- Original Message -----
From: "Stan Wilder" <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wed 17 March 2004 21:46
Subject: Re: User friendly fuels (was you fixed it..)

>SNIP<
> Additionally I have some US Navy aircraft flight deck experience and the
> noise, dirty exhaust, stink and lots of unburned fuel vapors pretty much
> limit use of turbines.
> Even the small turbines used to turn generators and compressors for
> emergency aircraft starts produced so much heat and stink that the surplus
> turbines never found any civilian uses after they finished their military
> use.
>
> Stan Wilder

I did some of that Navy time also, though most of mine was done on Spruance
Class destroyers.  They use four LM2500 gas turbines for main propulsion,
with twin reduction gears and shafts.  The propellers are controllable
reversible pitch, to allow back bells.  Because the engines do not have to
reverse, the ship can go from max forward speed (Flank 3) to all back full
in less than 45 seconds.  The ship will stop from 30+ knots and start
backing up in 2 ship lengths!  Time from All Stop to answering Flank 3 is
about 30 seconds.  These ships were built in response to Pearl Harbor, they
can go from cold iron to underway in less than 90 seconds - you don't untie
them, they break the mooring lines!!

They also use Allison 501 K-17 helicopter gas turbines (modified) to run
their main generators - 2000KW each, three total for 6 million watts of
power.  Almost enough to run a Westy refrigerator AND keep the stuff in it
cold!!  Now that's power!

Required Vanagon content - still looking, haven't given up yet.  And to
answer several peoples P-mail, I am looking in MANY more places than just
e-Bay - I was just pointing out the crazy prices on there.

Don in Phoenix, AZ - still Vanagonless