B

Bob Axsom

Well Known Member
I am planning on seriously getting into the engine for increasing power for racing through Ly-con etc. as I can manage it. I do want to go into this with as much knowledge as I can bring to the process. Traditional education has worked best for me in the past and I have found this Lycoming training at Lycoming's website. There are two courses "The Lycoming Service School" and "Disassembly/Reassembly Course". My question is have any of you taken either of these courses and what are your observations on their value.

Bob Axsom
 
Bob, I took the Lycoming Service School course in 1998. As I remember, the subject matter was from most of the available Lycoming publications (Service Instructions, Service Bulletins) and put things together to understand engine service and trouble shooting. This was done at the community college on the airport and not at Lycoming, although we did get a tour of the factory.

Fuzzy memory but at the time I thought it was worth it.

Ken
 
You can expect the party line (certificated engines) as opposed to how to make them different.

Ken
 
thanks for the input Ken

This is favorable. Only one actual experience and it being 12 years old is not a powerful endorsement of value of these courses. I called the school and was transfered to a lady that was supposed to have in depth knowledge of the course. She was away from her desk according to the the answering system (voice mail, answering machine, ...?) so I left a detailed message. There has been no call back. I am not greatly encouraged.

Lead-in statement about the training at the website:

Recognized as one of the leading centers of aviation education in the country, Pennsylvania College of Technology has been solely appointed and authorized by Lycoming to conduct the Lycoming Piston Engine Service School.

Bob Axsom
 
Last edited:
The course has two parts, a classroom portion and a hands on portion. The classroom portion covers the history of Lycoming engines and a lot of other fluffy sounding stuff I wasn't interested in, but they won't let you take the hands on portion without the prerequisite classroom portion. I didn't take the course for that reason (a lot more time and $). Here is another thread about the course:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=52908
 
Bob,

You can learn everything you need to know at the OSH seminars Lycoming puts on daily. To be honest there's not much to a Lycoming, especially the four-cylinder engines. I've built a couple of Lyc's and Continentals and they're about as complicated as a lawn mower engine. The same gentleman that teaches the regular course at Lycoming does the seminars.
 
They called and I signed up

Noah thanks for the reference to the other thread on this subject. I got a call from Betty Ayers at the school. All of the classes are full until April 12 (since I have to take both courses). I signed up for it and the money is due one month before the class. It seems like the right thing for me to do. I will report back on the experience if all goes as planned (sometimes life gets in the way).

Bob Axsom
 
Thanks for the information

rocketbob said:
Bob,

You can learn everything you need to know at the OSH seminars Lycoming puts on daily. To be honest there's not much to a Lycoming, especially the four-cylinder engines. I've built a couple of Lyc's and Continentals and they're about as complicated as a lawn mower engine. The same gentleman that teaches the regular course at Lycoming does the seminars.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you are right (and I agree with your observations on Mr Norris's prop book several months ago by the way) but I would like to get the first hands on experience in a controlled learning environment. I really am only interested in the 3-day disassembly and reassembly class but the other 4-day class is a prerequisite so for now I am signed up for both. When I was working I sometimes had to spend months away from home - and of course there was that year in Korea - but at this stage in life I do not like being away from home for a week and a half for something that is not essential. I think this may pay big dividends. It is important to get a firm handle on the engine basics, the subtle handling methods and processes in my quest for race power so I am trying to rationalize the sacrifice. I can't beat the RV-8s or Gary Wilcox's RV-7 without more power so it seems like a do it or retire from racing decision point.

Bob Axsom
 
Hi Bob,

Just a thought, but if you have a carb, try cleaning the smoothing the internal surfaces as they really are rough. If you have injection you can still smooth the induction pathways that are cast.

I also wonder about these wing tips like the ones recently discussed. We can not play around as much as you in the states, but I am tempted to have a toy with the wingtips...

Finally, I wonder about the flat forward facing edges of the empennage counter balances as they look very draggy and depending on your horizontal stabiliser trim, they may be in the airflow stream at cruise.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.