Pobjoy
Parts are not a problem as such, most of the bits to make the gliders work are avalable off the shelf from the original German manufactures, the problem is that more than a little product improvement has happened and the upgraded part will get a new part number as this point the civil type certificate holder will issue a service bulletin to allow the fitting of a different part number.
This is the work that the military type certificate holder should have been doing but they seem to had gone to sleep for a few years ( no doubt comfortable that the money was still rolling in ) and not kept up with the game so come the recovery program a parts shortage of obsolete parts appears because the book gives an obsolete part number and nothing else can be fittted without the type certificate holder updating the paperwork.
I think we have been around the block with the Vigilant engine issues, as I understand it the type certificate holder is no longer supporting the engine, the result of this is when the parts supply drys up the engines can no longer be overhauled to EASA145 standard and without this can't be used by the VGS as EASA145 is the minimum oversight standard that meets the military requirements.
As to retro fitting the Rotax 912 engine, from a technical viewpoint a cant see a down side, the reason for needing a replacement is that the low production run engine is no longer economic to support, the Rotax is one of the most successful light aircraft engines of all times, thousands have been made and it is ultra reliable ( even if it has a gearbox ), I would guess that with the numbers being produced both myself & Mr Pobjoy will be six foot under before the type certificate support bites the dust.
Last edited by A and C; 14th Dec 2015 at 15:01.