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denver_longez

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  1. I’m new to posting here, but have been following for over a year. I thought this might be a good place to drop my 2 cents in. Engine choice, I believe, really should be driven by your tolerance for experimenting verses desire to get the airplane in the air. I very much admire the guys that are plowing the way with auto conversions and new aircraft engines. I would just make sure you are choosing an engine for the right reasons and I’m mean reasons that are right for you. Some factors I considered:  Ease of installation  Reliability (proven track record)  Performance (not advertised, proven)  Desire to experiment  Costs (acquisition & maintenance)  Knowledge of the engine (troubleshooting and being able to do maintenance myself)  Serviceability (Where can it be serviced if I can’t do the work)  Fuel cost and availability I would caution choosing an engine because there is some perceived cost savings. I have watched many builders go with something other than a Lycoming because of costs, only to discover a whole bunch of additional cost they hadn’t planned on. And, to add insult to injury, after lots of time and additional money, have ended up with an engine that doesn’t perform as advertised. No one from my EAA chapter has been able to demonstrate any significant cost savings by going with a “cheaper” alternative. In some cases, it has been quite the opposite. I have also watched individuals try to save money with a Lycoming by buying a run-out engine without good records only to be bit by lots of unanticipated cost. My point is that it is going to cost a lot of money to hang an engine on the front or back of your plane and, in the end, you are likely to spend roughly the same amount of money regardless on which way you go. Also, initial acquisition costs are only part of the equation. Consider ALL costs. I’m not trying to start a philosophical war on engine choice (although I’d be glad to have those discussions too). I would just encourage those that have not decided to make sure they are choosing for the right reasons. Just some thoughts.
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