JPX engines
 

Anybody have any experience with these engines? Are parts still available?

Context is the Robin ATL, with a JPX 4T 60A engine.

No hands-on experience, Peter, sorry, and no "hard" answers to your questions.

Still, having visited a good deal of home-builders' fly-ins in France, I have yet to see my first JTX. There must be a reason, and it is not in the eyes of the beholder.

Did you look under the cowlings? :)

http://tinyurl.com/pb683wt

My French is a bit rusty, but the Rectimo company will deliver spare parts as long as they have stock. So when they're out of stock you can throw away the engine?

The aircraft itself seems to keep their type certificate, but what good is that without an engine?

There's one for sale here. Still attached to the aircraft. Light Aircraft, Robin Atl, For Sale, advert ID=30023

Robin ATL/JPX
 

I owned one of these little aircraft with a JPX engine, and it was a delight, albeit a little underpowered. They either had the JPX single mag engine or the Limbach twin mag with a little more horsepower. Both my, and Pierre Robin's son Christophe learned to fly in one and there is more than a passing similarity between what we are seeing now in terms of LSA aircraft and the little ATL.

As far as the JPX engine is concerned, it was based on the VW lump and is fairly bullet proof. The only caveat is that the power with two up and fuel is a little marginal.

I bought mine with the idea that, once my son had passed his PPL, he would want to hours build at reasonable cost. It is very economical and solo is probably one of the most affordable little aircraft out there.

@Lukesdad:

It might be bulletproof but if it needs an overhaul in 300 hours and there are no more parts then I'm not sure how to get the aircraft to an airworthy state again. Unless it's allowed to use other non-certified parts if they exist.

Under all possible reserve: you could perhaps consider getting another engine for it (Limbach? Sauer? perhaps even Rotax - but that one might well be over weight) and re-register it on the French experimental register F-Pxxx ?

The type certificate specifies the Limbach as an alternative engine, but what would be involved in swapping the engines, and what would it cost?

One good reason for going Fox-Papa is that you needn't bother about the certification. Some fluency in French will be handy, though... but you might be able to secure help, there.