Lycoming Training

[hk1232]

Do folks take training on engines installation / maintenance or is the most common path to fumble around with more informal solo / mentor learning?

I see Lycoming offers a 1 week "Engine School" course. Are there other options? Any experience with this or recommendations?
https://www.lycoming.com/engine-school-2023

When is the best timing to complete this -- just in advance of an engine install?

 

[AlpineYoda]

I hung my engine with the help of a couple of friends - my EAA TC and an A&P in the next hangar over. They were incredibly helpful, plus the A&P was in the middle of a major overhaul to his Maule (welding and fabric covering), which happens to have an io-540 on it. I probably went over to his hangar 20 times to double check how various things attach and install. Plus, I peppered Jeff Shans at Lycoming with questions. AND, both my TC and the CFI I flew my first flights with gave the engine a slow and careful lookover (and the DAR). There were a couple of things they helped with that I never would have thought of, like making and installing standoffs for some of the wiring and plumbing lines.

I didn't take the formal class, but I figured that this group of experts was right for me. If this is your first engine, get all the help you can!

(I also bought the book about installing a Lycoming engine from EAA, but I found that wasn't quite as helpful since it covers a lot of engine types and wasn't perfectly up to date with exactly my engine)

 

[rleffler]

Do folks take training on engines installation / maintenance or is the most common path to fumble around with more informal solo / mentor learning?

I see Lycoming offers a 1 week "Engine School" course. Are there other options? Any experience with this or recommendations?
https://www.lycoming.com/engine-school-2023

When is the best timing to complete this -- just in advance of an engine install?

The Lycoming class is a great learning experience. I went this past November. With that said, it’s not going to help much with installation. They cover the academics of how the engine works. In the labs, you disassemble and reassemble a O-360. All great education. Just doesn’t cover the installation process. With that said, you can always ask Mike additional questions about the install process.

 

[818 AV8R]

Im an A/P and have some formal training on tear down and assembly. That said, I just bought an IO-390 that needs a tear down. Since I don’t do it regularly and am always looking for a reason to improve my skills, I signed up for the class in February seeing how it can only improve my knowledge base and add to the credibility of my build.

 

[Ironflight]

Bob has it right - the Lycoming School is an outstanding experience if you are going to tear down, build, or repair engines, but it doesn’t cover anything directly with installation.

I took the school years ago when it was eight days long, and it was a significant factor in my FSDO Inspector signing me off for the A&P exams - but installation and FWF was stuff I learned over years of working on light aircraft with A&P friends. And….after many, many airplanes, I’m still learning! No two machines are ever the same…