johntwilcox
Member
Just got back from Kamloops BC where I when to AeroSport to build my own IO 375.
If you are in need of a motor, I strongly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to get hands on experience building your own, both for the knowledge, and bragging rights when your hanger flying. AeroSport team was fantastic, they have a great process where you are enabled to build as much of your engine as you want, Other than some safety wiring, which I deferred on after doing a couple so as not to slow us down, I did 98% of the assembly.
It's scheduled for 3 days, T-TH, but I, and I assume most, are finished early Thursday. You start Tuesday at 8:00 and are paired with one of their mechanics who will be with you through the entire process. I worked with Edwin, who was great. I came into the build room to find everything I had ordered and configured for my 375 tagged and waiting on a cart.
I have built a number of Chevy and Ford engines this was my first airplane. You really don't need any experience as you have all your parts reselected and a build guide to walk you through step by step.
Edwin would tell me what was next, demonstrate it first is needed, and then turn me loose. When I was done, he would test and check my work and sign off on that step.
Then a separate, designated builder would have to come in and retest, recheck the work at each step and sign off. This occurred at least a dozen times through the process, and I saw its the same process they use for their regular builds.
When moved along quickly and worked until ~ 415, and which point, everything but the fuel lines had been completed. They said I did well and was ahead of schedule, don't know could just be telling the customer good things
Day 2, I bent and installed fuel lines, hook up starter, and it was done. Next step was to prep it for testing. This took about 2 1/2 hours, where exhaust, fuel lines, sensors and controls where hook up, and it was mounted on the back of a test truck. By noon, the truck was driven out to open area of the Kamloops airport, and it started up on the 2-3 try. That was pretty cool feeling.
They ran the engine for 2 hours, stepping up to cruise RPM, and recording perf numbers at numerous stops. Only adjustment needed as to turn down oil pressure a bit.
After 2 hours, they bring it back in, do an oil change, and send it back out with a different tester, who again puts it through its paces, and records/validates the perf numbers, that takes 30-45 mins.
Everything was good, it comes back in for the night.
Thursday morning, all the test configuration is removed and its prepped for crating and shipping.
Show up created, 8 days later.
Great motivation to keep pounding rivets.
JW
If you are in need of a motor, I strongly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to get hands on experience building your own, both for the knowledge, and bragging rights when your hanger flying. AeroSport team was fantastic, they have a great process where you are enabled to build as much of your engine as you want, Other than some safety wiring, which I deferred on after doing a couple so as not to slow us down, I did 98% of the assembly.
It's scheduled for 3 days, T-TH, but I, and I assume most, are finished early Thursday. You start Tuesday at 8:00 and are paired with one of their mechanics who will be with you through the entire process. I worked with Edwin, who was great. I came into the build room to find everything I had ordered and configured for my 375 tagged and waiting on a cart.
I have built a number of Chevy and Ford engines this was my first airplane. You really don't need any experience as you have all your parts reselected and a build guide to walk you through step by step.
Edwin would tell me what was next, demonstrate it first is needed, and then turn me loose. When I was done, he would test and check my work and sign off on that step.
Then a separate, designated builder would have to come in and retest, recheck the work at each step and sign off. This occurred at least a dozen times through the process, and I saw its the same process they use for their regular builds.
When moved along quickly and worked until ~ 415, and which point, everything but the fuel lines had been completed. They said I did well and was ahead of schedule, don't know could just be telling the customer good things
Day 2, I bent and installed fuel lines, hook up starter, and it was done. Next step was to prep it for testing. This took about 2 1/2 hours, where exhaust, fuel lines, sensors and controls where hook up, and it was mounted on the back of a test truck. By noon, the truck was driven out to open area of the Kamloops airport, and it started up on the 2-3 try. That was pretty cool feeling.
They ran the engine for 2 hours, stepping up to cruise RPM, and recording perf numbers at numerous stops. Only adjustment needed as to turn down oil pressure a bit.
After 2 hours, they bring it back in, do an oil change, and send it back out with a different tester, who again puts it through its paces, and records/validates the perf numbers, that takes 30-45 mins.
Everything was good, it comes back in for the night.
Thursday morning, all the test configuration is removed and its prepped for crating and shipping.
Show up created, 8 days later.
Great motivation to keep pounding rivets.
JW
