IanJ
Well-Known Member
I'm in the (very) preliminary research stages of building a kit biplane, probably a Fisher Celebrity. I was chatting with my dad about it today (he's very interested in flying, but never took the time to get his license).
He raised the interesting and almost patently obvious point that if a certified engine (such as a Continental O-200) is available, it would be a more worthwhile investment than a non-certified engine (such as a Rotec R2800), simply because if the engine croaks mid-air, you're in deep poopoo -- particularly in a draggy bipe. And of course a certified engine is a better bet than an "unknown" non-cert engine, right?
My counter-argument was not well-organized at the time, but it boils down to this:
* If I have to buy a certified engine, I might as well give up now, since I probably can't afford the project. That includes both initial purchase and ongoing maintenance, since I believe I have to get an A&P to do any work on the engine to keep the cert.
* A new but uncertified engine (R2800) is likely to be as reliable as a used certified engine, which may have a questionable history. (Note that the R2800 is also pushing the price envelope, but it's my dream engine for this project.)
* Something like the R2800, or a Verner 133TM, or even a Rotax 912 uses less fuel, giving me a lower cost-per-hour, which is where the real spending and savings will occur over the life of the plane. Overhaul is also cheaper for similar TBO, if only because I can do it myself (and for the most part I can).
So, what's the consensus here? I haven't seen this exact question discussed yet without including auto conversions. Skip the autos for now, I'm unlikely to consider them, since there are numerous other more appropriate options. High on my potential list are:
* Used O-200
* New R2800
* New Verner 133TM
* New or used Rotax 912
I'd appreciate any input on this question. I'm still a few years from finalizing any decisions, so I've got a long time to be talked around to the "right" point of view.
He raised the interesting and almost patently obvious point that if a certified engine (such as a Continental O-200) is available, it would be a more worthwhile investment than a non-certified engine (such as a Rotec R2800), simply because if the engine croaks mid-air, you're in deep poopoo -- particularly in a draggy bipe. And of course a certified engine is a better bet than an "unknown" non-cert engine, right?
My counter-argument was not well-organized at the time, but it boils down to this:
* If I have to buy a certified engine, I might as well give up now, since I probably can't afford the project. That includes both initial purchase and ongoing maintenance, since I believe I have to get an A&P to do any work on the engine to keep the cert.
* A new but uncertified engine (R2800) is likely to be as reliable as a used certified engine, which may have a questionable history. (Note that the R2800 is also pushing the price envelope, but it's my dream engine for this project.)
* Something like the R2800, or a Verner 133TM, or even a Rotax 912 uses less fuel, giving me a lower cost-per-hour, which is where the real spending and savings will occur over the life of the plane. Overhaul is also cheaper for similar TBO, if only because I can do it myself (and for the most part I can).
So, what's the consensus here? I haven't seen this exact question discussed yet without including auto conversions. Skip the autos for now, I'm unlikely to consider them, since there are numerous other more appropriate options. High on my potential list are:
* Used O-200
* New R2800
* New Verner 133TM
* New or used Rotax 912
I'd appreciate any input on this question. I'm still a few years from finalizing any decisions, so I've got a long time to be talked around to the "right" point of view.
