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Whom can work on my engine if I have trouble? Tell your story here.
Let's just say you are narrowing down your choice of aircraft engine and have a few final decisions to make before plunging down hard earned cash on what you believe is an educated and well researched decision.
You might believe that if you pick a "well known brand", service and parts will be easy to come by. Not so. For one popular brand, If you live anywhere north of Miami / South of Georgia, there is only one (read ONE) service center / parts house available to you. If your popular aircraft engine fail in Jacksonville FL, you are expected to disassemble and trailer the thing for 5 hours to hunt down a mechanic in Sebring Florida. Since the same company pride themselves on having "certified" mechanics and don't want anyone without specific training to touch the engines, options are limited. And this is in an area considered to be one of the busiest small aircraft area's in the country. Other locations are much worse.
You also might be able to locate help from an independent mechanic or specific aircraft manufacturer but the point is that it is not true that you will have local / immediate help.
Other brands are either made overseas or bought by the Chinese and all the companies are much smaller than you think, usually operated by a small group of people.
Viking is also a small company but our engine is based on what for years, by many, have been considered the # one engine company in the world. Honda having produced millions of engines of excellent quality and with a great reputation.
Honda has over 1,000 car dealerships in the US.
Since 90% of the Viking engine is identical to those used in the Honda Fit, Honda Civic and Honda Accord, genuine parts can be had pretty much anywhere. Also, since the Viking Auto Conversion use the latest Honda engines, everything is always available. Viking does not use an obsolete engine block of old design.
In addition, the Civic and Accord engines are made in Ohio, USA. No other competing engine is still made in the US that we are aware of.
Obviously, parts can also be found at over 45,000 auto parts stores across the country.
If the simple gearbox on the engine make you worried, be sure to realize Viking has 1,000 gear-sets stocked, bearings and seals are commercially available and that internal gearbox issues are not common.
As far as actually finding a mechanic that would work on your engine, if you elect not to do so yourself. Maybe you can't land your aircraft at a Honda car dealer. That is not the point. The point is that these engines are inline 4 cylinder units that any mechanic in the world knows how to maintain / repair.
Not so with opposed air-cooled any more.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by christopher fryatt on
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USA made Continental O-200D, nationwide parts and service available, Forget the "Chinese" comments they are financiers for development. Made by USA folks in the USA
if your A&P, or you cannot figure out this simple engine and systems......
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Permalink Reply by Jan Eggenfellner on
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Permalink Reply by Ken Ryan on
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Jan,
Could you please clarify your point. Is it that Continental engines are backed by Chinese money? Is it that Continental engines are actually made in China? Or is it something else altogether? How does your point relate to "who can work on my engine if I have trouble?"
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Vikings engine related decisions are based on the love of light sport aircraft. The Government of the people's Republic of China do not work on Zenith aircraft as a hobby. It is not a trick question :)
China is not looking out for your flying hobby
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In the 70's my econ professor railed about arab petromoney investing in USA, seems to have worked out ok. lets see... Mobile, AL facility upgraded, check. new engine models being released, check. Machining done In house, check. If WW III breaks out plant still remains in USA to build parts for USA stuff...
yes continental does not build hobby aircraft like Viking, but then again neither does Honda car division or any part of that Japanese corporation if you want to talk true ownership.
Slamming conventional aircraft engine,companies might get some customers but at what cost
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Permalink Reply by Loren Warner on
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For our Viking 130, we plan to do most of our own engine work. For those not comfortable working on their own engine, or just don't want to, we always have the option to deliver the engine to one of many authorized automotive engine repair shops, or just replace the engine core ourselves. You don't need to be certified Honda repairman to work on these engines. Nice to have options.
Moreover, I did not see where Jan slammed any conventional aircraft engine? In fact, he's not the one that first mentioned Continental engines by name. We chose Viking for many of our own reasons, but think all others engines have their place.
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I agree that parts for the Honda are inexpensive and easy to come by, and that a new long block is ridiculously cheap by aircraft standards. I disagree completely, however, with the suggestions that if one has engine problems, particularly at a distant airport, that it will be easier to get relief with a Honda conversion than an old fashioned Continental or Lycoming. There are lots of positive aspects to the Honda Viking, but it is not the clear winner in "every" category.
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Ken, we'll just have to discuss this over another cup of coffee or brunch, and keep the boxing gloves at home.
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Loren, I hope you're not suggesting bare knuckles. I'm way too old for that.
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The only thing I can think of "certified" is Tyson Chicken, Airmen are certificated. Not many ham handed car guys have any legitimate certification. Besides you can repair and maintain a "purposely designed aircraft engine" and yes in fact the first posting does specifically toss dirt towards foreign owned engine makers.
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The only real point to this post was:
At least yearly, we see Rotax powered aircraft disassembled at our local airport and trucked to a service center for repair.
It is not slamming anyone. It is information to those that believe a mainstream engine can be fixed anywhere, parts are available everywhere and that there will be a trained mechanic available.
For traditional engines and Alaska, this might not hold true.
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