Shortstripper
I was not intending to be unfair in any way, I try to do as much as I can to help the LAA types and don't usualy charge for my time as a LAA inspector ( as a licenced engineer I can).
However I don't see most of these aircraft doing a lot of flying and was only enquiring as to what the average usage of the LAA fleet. The aircraft that I inspect are very different with some only flying a few hours a year (less than 20) and some (mostly Vans types) doing a lot of flying. What I was hoping for was to get some sort of idea of how reliable the VW engine is when fitted in aircraft.
The LAA is a very good way to hour build if you have time and like me don't mind getting your hands dirty maintaining the aircraft but I suspect that a lot of those aspiring to the flight deck of an airliner don't have the inclination or abilty to spend the days in a cold hangar doing the nessesary maintenance.
What a disaster it would be for the average group of LAA guys to get one of these hours builders who uses three or four years of engine time in a few months and then vanishes having put nothing back into the group.
For this reason it is nessesary for groups to know what the expected time to overhaul is for the VW engine and cost the engine time accordingly if only to protect themselfs from being "carpetbagged" by an hours builder with a very short term agenda.
The time expected before an overhaul is required for a Continental or Lycoming are well known in the business and so I can plan my costs accordingly, I think it would help a lot of LAA flyers if someone could give us all an idea of what can be expected from a VW engine so that these groups can get a realistic idea of the cost per engine hour.
As for "slagging off" PFA/LAA types I don't think that I have done anything in the posts above to do so. The fact is that without the skills and time that inspectors like myself bring to the PFA/LAA you would not have "permit" aircraft flying in the UK and a lot of people would not be able to afford to fly.
Last edited by A and C; 16th January 2008 at 18:37.