Originally Posted by
tdracer
Etudiant, it's not that simple.
Some of the manufacturing processes and alloys used 70 years ago have been effectively banned due to EPA and OSHA regulations. Newer processes and alloys result in parts that have different mass characteristics - which affects other parts in the engine - which in turn affect other parts, and pretty soon you need to remake the entire engine. So what you end up with is an very expensive re-development of a 70 year old engine design. All the costs of a new, modern engine with the crappy performance of the original.
.
That seems just implausible to me.
I don't know of an engine parts process that has been outlawed and I'm unaware of an relevant alloy that has become unavailable due to EPA and/or OSHA regs. We're not talking beryllium here, just simple nickel alloys, at least
afaik.
Happy to be corrected, but thus far I remain convinced it is just a case of too much money chasing limited spending opportunities.