Gidday Aussie Bob,
There are several charter operators doing it quite successfully, and all with CASA approved ops manuals. I know, because I helped them do it
It is not hard. As you know, running accurately LOP is much easier than ROP if you want to do it efficiently. I know one operator who is making several 6 figures more per year in less fuel and more importantly less maintenance. Here is what they did;
1. Chief Engineer did APS class.
2. Started fitting JPI's and GAMI's through the fleet (mostly twins) and installing better baffle kits.
3. Sent Chief Pilot to the next APS class.
4. Started to pay for the GAMI's, JPI's and Baffles in about 9 months or something like that.
5. Re-wrote ops manuals and educated pilots in house on simple and dare I say it "cook book" operations.
6. Reports to me that after 3 years they are doing a fraction of the cylinder work, and between better operating practises, better data analysis (not just asking pilots what they think is happening) they are saving several hundred thousand per year.
How to fly SAFER and make a profit in GA???? Well the cut throat competitors probably can't work it out, but they have not dropped their prices, so all of a sudden what was just profitable is now a viable business.
It is not rocket science, but it does involve a bit of science and not mythology.
Hope you are having fun down there
