Rotax questions...a few more!

[Nomore767]

Yesterday I was at a small airport near me, checking out hangars, maintenance etc. I had what is becoming a fairly typical conversation:-

There was a CTLS owner, in his late 60s, working on the only light sport that I could see. I nice CTLS looking almost new. Turns out it's over 5 years old but he bought it this summer with only 55 hours on it. Question, even with a really low time almost new engine, it can't be good for it to have sat unused for so long, Thoughts?

The field has only 100LL, manager said no chance of auto gas for airplane use. Field is a few miles from nearest gas station. When I asked CTLS owner about auto gas...he glanced at manager and laughed say he uses 100LL all time from self serve pump. I asked about additive and maintenance on Rotax...he said he uses TCP and wow I should see all the gunk in the oil tank when he services it. He said nearest maintenance for annuals is Lockwood at Sebring, 2 states away. he's done the short repairman course to service his plane and if he has a problem a guy from Greenville SC can help (I1 hour flying/2.75 hours drive). I said well what if you have a problem now? He shrugged and said the guy at the shop on the field, yards away, was good. I asked if he'd had the courses and he said he didn't know.
I didn't get to talk to shop as nobody seemed to be there but I will inquire later. Is this typical?

I've been to this field three times lately..on a Saturday I thought it'd be busier, but it was silent. Only one Super Cub departing. Field has 6000' runway and is in great shape and has corporate jets visit. The other two times there wasn't one airplane moving and I saw only two people..the airport manager and the CTLS owner.
This lack of activity seems common as I've visited a few other fields with same thing.

I spoke with a guy about Light Sport...he mentioned a Sky Arrow for sale...$55k with about 1450 hours on it. I've heard that under LSA the TBO is the limit, the engine must be replaced/overhauled, unlike regular GA TBOs. Thoughts?
This Sky Arrow would have pretty high time on it's Rotax then as I think the 912ULS is 2000 hour TBO so would this be a candidate for a newer engine, perhaps even the 912iS or should you contemplate an overhaul? Sky Arrow has been used in a training environment.

Whilst the Rotax seems to be a great engine I'm reluctant to acquire an airplane with one as there seems to be a list of 'issues' once you get past the 'sips auto-gas' etc. This CTLS owner said he acquired his plane for 'low-costs' and frankly I can't see where they are.
He listed his taking the carbs off and shipping them out already, the gearbox is probably next year, I forgot to ask him about the 5 year rubber replacement which would have been this year and at 55 hours total time seems crazy but mandatory. I forgot to ask him about the latest SBs...on the crankshaft and maybe (not sure) on the fuel pump?).
I can see myself sitting at the deserted airport with a nice Rotax powered airplane, unable to use auto-gas on the field since manger forbids it, nearest competent maintenance is miles/hours away and maybe I couldn't get there being grounded, and the local shop not necessarily trained to fix the issue. Sorry if I come across as being really negative.

Thoughts?

Cheers, Howard

[CTLSi]

......

[drseti]

55 hours total in five years? That's a terrible thing to do to an airplane. That's like having a wife, and only taking her out to dinner once a year, for your anniversary.

You can research factory-authorized Rotax mechanics by state on rotax-owner.com. There are three levels of certification (service, maintenance, and heavy maintenance) so make sure the guy or gal you hire is authorized at the appropriate level. Any A&P can legally screw up a Rotax engine, with no training required!

[Merlinspop]

55 hours total in five years? That's a terrible thing to do to an airplane. That's like having a wife, and only taking her out to dinner once a year, for your anniversary.

Aw, dang! I better make reservations somewhere....

[3Dreaming]

55 hours total in five years? That's a terrible thing to do to an airplane. That's like having a wife, and only taking her out to dinner once a year, for your anniversary.

You can research factory-authorized Rotax mechanics by state on rotax-owner.com. There are three levels of certification (service, maintenance, and heavy maintenance) so make sure the guy or gal you hire is authorized at the appropriate level. Any A&P can legally screw up a Rotax engine, with no training required!

What's wrong with only taking the wife out once a year?

As for any A&P they can screw it up without training, but they can not return it to service. To return it to srevice they must have screwed one up before or perform the task in front of an other mechanic who has screwed one up before. All joking aside a mechanic must have training of some kind before they can do the work. It just doesn't have to come from Rotax, but if you want good training that is where you will need to go.

[Nomore767]

"You need to get an annual on the CTLS regardless of how many hours are on the Hobbs or engine. Any aircraft sitting for years with fuel in the tanks is likely damaged. Or at a minimum need a checkout at the annual level. If the maint logs dont show he did the annual, definitely get one."

-- Okay, I KNOW this. By the way I'm NOT buying this airplane, I was just talking to the owner about the airplane HE bought.

"You can easily get your own Mogas by either getting a portable transfer tank, a transfer tank on a trailer, or put a transfer tank in your truck if you have one, as I did. You can get the whole setup online, JMEllsworth, or a trailer seller."

-- Okay, I KNOW this...the airport manager doesn't permit self fueling of mogas.

" If you want to use Avgas and dont want to deal with the lead, get Decalin and add it each time. A half ounce per 10 gallons. Or use 100LL and simply do an oil change every 50 hours instead of 100 hours. You will also need to have the gear box rebuilt at 600 hours instead of 1000 hours if you use 100LL."

--Okay, I KNOW this. I asked the owner about what additive he uses and any maintenance related 'issues' and he said he uses TCP and when the oil tank was removed it had a large amount of 'gunk' (his word). This is one of the 'issues' I have with Rotax. If you have to use 100LL with an additive and have maintenance issues related to its use, where's the advantage or cost savings over using a direct drive engine? Like the 0-200D for comparison?

"There are Rotax guys all over, but if you dont have one on your field. See if one is nearby, you can always fly there and get service."

--Okay, well there aren't Rotax guys all over and I haven't found one yet. Neither has this owner except for the guy at KGMU Greenville SC who used to work for the FD dealer there before they went out of business. In making a decision to buy and base a plane, with a Rotax engine, so far it's not really very good. My other point is...IF you have a Rotax related maintenance issue, what do you do if you are grounded and can't fly out? The local guy 'may' not be trained specifically on Rotax ( I'll try and find out).

"If you are gonna fly LSA there is no better plane out there than a CTLS, even a used one. All aircraft require maint. even million buck ones."

-- Okay, I've flown the CTLS, it's a nice airplane. It requires maintenance, I KNOW this. However, after numerous visits to numerous fields in my area, I've yet to find a Rotax qualified shop, and even though I 'might' be able to bring non-ethanol mogas to self-fuel it's a little over $4 and 100LL is $5.18 to $5.41...not much of savings in the grand scheme of things, whilst figuring the cost of routine maintenance going out of state or getting a mechanic in.
One shop told me they have a Rotax guy they can call in who has been trained but I should figure Rotax costs adding up to 50% more in maintenance costs than a Continental/Lycoming airplane. Where's the advantage?

So, as I asked the CTLS owner at the airport I visited...where are the lower costs? He just shrugged.

Thanks for the replies, Howard.

[Nomore767]

"You can research factory-authorized Rotax mechanics by state on rotax-owner.com. There are three levels of certification (service, maintenance, and heavy maintenance) so make sure the guy or gal you hire is authorized at the appropriate level. Any A&P can legally screw up a Rotax engine, with no training required!"

Paul, I've already done this. The first choice is Lockwood at Sebring, 2 states away. The only other listed choice is at Cape Fear for NC...4 hour drive, almost 2 hours by air (if able to fly), or Aiken in SC which doesn't mention Rotax on their site. For SC Aiken is further away than Greenville, where there is an ex FD school mechanic, and which the guy I spoke with mentioned he uses.

Vans, on it's own website, says the nearest regional Rotax support is Lockwood, 2 states away.

One shop I spoke with in NC have worked on my schools Remos and hate working on the plane and engine and say that tech support from Germany is difficult and expensive.
When I mentioned Cont/Lyc engines...their little faces light up! Just sayin'.

My question and point, again, is....whilst everyone who is selling or owns Rotax powered airplanes says positive things about the 'plane' I'm not seeing a high level of convenient and quality support.

I didn't have the heart to bring up Jabiru!!

Cheers, Howard

[FlyingForFun]

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[Nomore767]

[quote="drseti"]55 hours total in five years? That's a terrible thing to do to an airplane. That's like having a wife, and only taking her out to dinner once a year, for your anniversary.

Paul, is taking her out 'mandatory' or 'on condition'?

Which is more expensive, a 5 year Rotax rubber replacement or taking wife out to dinner? Umm...actually I think I already know!

[Nomore767]

If I was going to buy an LSA tomorrow, it would be a C162 Skycatcher. I understand the pros and cons, so nobody needs to list them for me.

Jim,

If the direct drive engine drive is the choice, Continental 0-200D or Lycoming 0-233 are the options. Maybe the Jabiru (but again where are the dealers? ). Even then the aircraft options are slim, Skycatcher, Cub Crafters Cubs and legend Cubs.

My issue with the Skycatcher option (although I like the plane and have flown it, and it mostly meets my mission) is that Cessna haven't sold any all year, have said nothing about what they intend to do with it, a salesman told me 'not to worry', and there are a number for sale.

Would you buy a 2-3 year 'new' plane with 20-60 hours on it which has sat doing nothing, or an ex-school plane with 1000 hours? Both of which are asking for quite high prices considering no sales all year.

Cheers, Howard

[FlyingForFun]

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[Nomore767]

Jim,

Have you had any experience with Rotax powered LSAs? If so how do feel they compare with the C162?

Cheers, Howard.

[FlyingForFun]

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[Flocker]

It's too bad we don't live closer together or we could buy one in partnership.

I'm still open to discussion on this. I'm pulling the trigger on a LSA 1Q14. No need to respond if you're not interested.

[FlyingForFun]

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