Indeed; that was always the argument for turbo diesels, but it doesn’t help you with runway performance (unless going from high elevation runways, which most in Europe aren’t).
Peter wrote:
I don’t understand what “cultural barrier” there might be
In this case probably both sides being passive aggressive, one saying ‘they never f-ing reply to emails’ and the other ‘why do they keep pestering, it’s all on the portal.’ I didn’t take sides and it got resolved with a phonecall.
Silvaire wrote:
I have to date never met anybody who has overhauled a Rotax 912 series engine.
I thought overhaul of a Rotax 912 simply consisted of doing a replacement of the casing with a factory built replacement core unit (factory new core casing with crankshaft, rods, piston etc). They cost about €7k. The rest is replaced when needed. Rubber is 5 years, propeller gear is check and possible replacement every 600h etc.
This unit:
Selling the bottom end assembly as a unit from the factory makes sense given that servicing the crankshaft assembly is beyond the capability of almost any mechanic. A major overhaul by this method would then consist of a new bottom assembly complete, plus top end rework as much as possible and as required per inspection. An interesting thing with this approach is that if the new crankcase has a new data plate, it becomes a different engine.
There are indeed companies offering a combination of overhaul and exchange program for the Rotax engines.
For example, Franz Aircraft is the official dealer for Germany (and Northern Europe IIRC). Details on their programmes are here. The basic idea is you send them your engine, they asses it’s condition and decide whether they overhaul it, or give you core credit for a new or overhauled exchange engine.
Last time we had to exchange one of our 912s we opted for a straight out exchange (with a overhauled engine) instead of waiting for our old one to be checked. The main reason for that was less downtime for our training aircraft.
We still got the core credit for the old engine, but had the “new” engine already installed and running by that time.
Hope that helps.
It does help, thanks. What I see is the closer you are to Austria, the more easily you get life cycle (overhaul) support over many decades of use in the way you would expect it for an American aircraft engine, obviously with that expectation being particularly valid in the US. The costs for the Rotax are perhaps not quite as simple to predict (nothing advertised) and the overhaul and parts market probably not as wide, deep or competitive, but if you were in Germany or elsewhere in Central Europe you could expect to have realistic options over decades of ownership other than just buying another new engine every now and again. This would likely save some money but due to the design of the engine, it cannot as easily be reconditioned by design like other engines, in a situation very much like comparing newer Slick mags with older Bendix mags.
Silvaire wrote:
In relation to the thread, the point would be that with the Continental you never need to buy a new or factory rebuilt engine. After 1800 hrs you overhaul it, and then eventually do it again someday and so on. The overhaul cost in my area is $15-18K
Sadly that’s not the case in the UK.
If you need a new crank and a new crankcase then then the overhaul costs comes mighty close to the price of a new factory remanufactured engine. Which in the case of an O-200 offers a higher TBO of 2000 hours and in the case of say a lycoming O-360 comes with roller tappets as default.
Bathman wrote:
Sadly that’s not the case in the UK.
Can’t you run it “on condition”?
I think EASA allows it.
In PL we have a regulation which allows you to use any spark-ignited (non-diesel) – less than 400HP engine to operate “on condition”
AMO just has to do overall visual inspection, cylinder pressure, oil sample and boroscope inspection. And you are good for another 100hr or 12 months.
Even under CAMO when using for flight training.
Raven wrote:
Can’t you run it “on condition”?I think EASA allows it.
As long as the aircraft isn’t used commercially, yes. You might have to use an owner-declared maintenance programme. That’s how my club ran a Lyc. IO-360 to 3400 hours.
The UK doesn’t allow aircraft used for flying instruction to run on condition. They regard all flying instruction to be a commercial operation even if it’s done by a none for profit club.
I don’t know if this will change with Part M lite.
