Morgans wrote:
"Charlie" wrote

compared to auto conversions where each is nearly unique, and we factor in
the unpleasant fact (sorry guys) that many of the people most willing to
do an auto conversion are the least qualified to tackle it,

If you are trolling, nice try. Otherwise, how do you support this
conclusion?

Nice slap in the face to all those guys that have auto installations humming
happily along. There are bunches of them, and it WOULDN'T be a stretch to
say that they are pretty darn clever bunch, indeed.

Anyone capable of building a kit with all the holes drilled and all the
parts included can hang a Lyconental. It takes a clever person to use an
auto engine. I would hardly classify that as "least qualified."
Not trolling; just stating facts. If I said that the majority of a/c
accidents were due to pilot error, it might feel like a slap in the face
to pilots who don't make mistakes, but it would still be true.

I *want* alternative engines to succeed. I believe that many of them can
succeed, if done right. I've spent years learning everything I can about
one design that I hope to install on a homebuilt one day.

The fact that almost any klutz can hang a Lyc, and it takes a lot more
expertise to do an alternative installation, is precisely my point.

I've concluded, from quite a few years of talking with & observing guys
doing alternative engines, that many do not have any feel for what it
takes to make an engine installation succeed. The 1st clue is wanting to
hang 350-400 hp (& an extra 200 lbs) on a plane designed for 180 hp.
Think about how often you hear that, and see the attempt to do it. There
are lots of specifics, like not being able to either solder or run a
crimping tool, not having any idea of what makes air flow through a heat
exchanger efficiently, etc.

My point, which I believe Ron's answer supports, is that the 2X accident
rate for alternative engines is driven by the lack of adequate expertise
on the part of (some) builders, not the engines themselves. This is not
a knock on all alternative engine installers. I'm just saying that those
who truly understand the challenges & would probably have a better
chance of success, often choose Lyc because they really do understand
the challenges. Many (not all, but many) who forge ahead with
alternative installations do so with no understanding of what it takes
to do a successful installation.

I hope that you'll see this like telling a low-time pilot friend that he
really shouldn't take off in a 200 mph homebuilt on a long cross country
under a 1000 ft ceiling & unstable weather. You aren't putting him down;
you're just asking him to realistically evaluate his experience &
abilities, relative to the task at hand.

Charlie