I am really pleased to announce that Base Leg Aviation is now an authorized Service and Maintenance facility for Rotax 9 series engines, having been duly trained for a week at Lockwood Aero in Sebring Fl.
Even though I have been installing, flying, and maintaining these engines since 1992, the training is not only a requirement, it is well put together and very informational. Those of you who are maintaining your own engines should really consider taking at least the 2 day class.
Vic
Congrats Vic
One clarification on your "required" comment.
There is no requirement from the FAA that someone have factory training to work on a Rotax 912 engine. To meet the FAA's requirements an A&P must have "type specific training". This can be obtained many ways (long term direct experience, like you have; being mentored/supervised by someone that already has the experience; etc.) The FAA has gone on record (I have a copy of the document) that a manufacturer or OEM supplier can not institute regulations or requirements over and above, or contrary to the cFAR's.
What a manufacturer
can do, is institute requirements for maintaining warranty coverage or eligibility for being considered an official factory service center. Rotax requires that for continued warranty coverage, work on the engine has to be done by an iRMT factory trained mechanic (note: if the engine is out of warranty, then the need for meeting this requirement is gone, but it can still be a good idea to use someone with extensive Rotax experience).
Rotax is rather flexible with this to a point because a huge part of their customer base is experimental class airplanes that are built and being maintained by owners. I have never heard of a problem with a warranty claim because a non factory trained owner had done all of the oil changes and other maint.
So my recommendation is that while their engine is under warranty, owners make sure that all maint and inspections prescribed by Rotax are done and recorded in the engine maint. record, and if they have to have any work done that is beyond general maint. (particularly something that they expect to file a warranty claim for), that all of that work be done by a
current iRMT (iRMT's have to get recurrent/renewal training every two years).
Having said all of that, I can't echo loud enough Vics recommendation for owners to at least get the Service Specialty Training.
Regardless of how much prior experience you have working on aircraft engines, the 912 is a very different engine. Beside being taught what
to do, the classes will teach you a lot about what
not to do.
Considering the cost of these engines, the additional cost of traveling to take a class is a no brainer in my opinion.
As for where to take the class? I can't say enough good about Dean at Lockwood (and all the rest of the staff there).
Dean is at the top of the pile for guys outside of the Rotax company, as far as the level of knowledge of Rotax engines and he is obviously passionate about passing on as much of that knowledge as he can. That makes Lockwood a great choice (and it is a great travel destination as well.... particularly if you are in to auto racing... it is right next door to Sebring racing complex).
Ed, one of my co-worker / shop guys will likely be headed back there soon for 912iS Heavy Maint. training.
If you go, tell Dean that Scott and Ed sent you.
