Expected life and maintenance of a 582

[rdarby]

I'm back to dreaming about buying my own aircraft, and looked at a advert on this site.

 

It's a 582 engine. How long do they last? From what I see in posts it seems to be about 300 hours?

 

What happens then, new engine or just maintenance?

 

What type of cost would I face at 300 hours?

 

Thanks for any info!

 

Ryan

 

 

[Tex]

300hrs is Rotax TBO... if you look after them they can go for a lot LOT longer... I think they should be "on condition" rather than 300...

 

 

[rdarby]

What does the overall cost?

 

 

[Tex]

About $4500 for full OH by Rotax agent... I was told this just last week by a Rotax agent! Given new engines are not much more than that new now, you have a conundrum IMHO.

 

 

[Tex]

Actually that price would include the gearbox too...

 

 

[rdarby]

That is cheap. If you put away $15 an hour towards a new engine, you could pay the $5000 each 300 hours.

 

However, a 912 would cost the same if you put the same $15 aside for 2000 hours.

 

I am starting to believe there is no cheaper option than hiring! On a budget of about $500 a month for flying, it's hard to own once you add up hangar rental, money aside for a new engine, insurance etc.

 

 

[Tex]

Cheaper to hire? hmm maybe, but I think not. If you buy smart, look after your aircraft, and fly it... owning is better and cheaper.

 

 

[facthunter]

They are legal (training, etc) to 300, generally good for 500 and sometimes do a lot more. I feel that a replacement NEW motor is better value than a rebuild and I have been doing 2 strokes all my life, You may be able to fing a non aviation use for the engine.If you are extending the life, it is hard to inspect. The big ends do not need to have play to be ready to fail. The cages can fail or the hardness come flaking off the pin due to fatigue. This is the normal way for a roller or ball bearing to fail, and the bits go all through the motor so it's usually a complete stop not a power reduction . Nev

 

 

[Doug Evans]

Plenty of good single seater with two strokes about I been flying behind a 582 for over 12 years with only good maintain practices they will last a very long time I have never had one fail me

 

 

[Gentreau]

As previously stated 300 hours is the official limit, however.

 

One of the major re-builders here in France says to send your motor in at 450 hrs, unless it has a problem.

 

At our club we have a silver-top on 940 hours and a blue-top on 770 hours, both of which start after two blades and run like clockwork.

 

The guys around here who know about these things will tell you to NEVER open the engine up unless it's not working, use high quality two-stroke oil, be absolutlely anal/pedantic/obsessive with your pre-mixing, and never use pre-mix more than a few weeks old. Also to respect the warm-up time (not long) and throttle back from 6500 to 6000 rpm at 300ft or as soon as safe after takeoff.

 

With modern synthetic oils you won't get any carbon buildup so the 50hr de-coke is moot.

 

What you can do, is to inspect the pistons through the exhaust port by removing the manifold.

 

This allows you to check visually that the rings are not seized and to check for traces of blow-by on the piston surface.

 

The avatar you see to the left was taken in a 582 powered microlight as I passed 10,000 ft, still climbing at 450 ft per minute.

 

Personally I'm a big fan of the 582, only a few moving parts, good power to weight ratio and simple to maintain.

 

 

[boingk]

I am starting to believe there is no cheaper option than hiring! On a budget of about $500 a month for flying, it's hard to own once you add up hangar rental, money aside for a new engine, insurance etc.

$100 - Loan per week

 

$50 - fuel/maintenance per hour

 

$50 - weekly hangarage

 

That adds up to $200 per week for flying one hour... or $250 for tweo hours, or $300 for three hours... and so on.

 

I would not choose to hire if I could buy.

 

- boingk

 

 

[68volksy]

Cheaper to hire? hmm maybe, but I think not. If you buy smart, look after your aircraft, and fly it... owning is better and cheaper.

Hiring makes sense if you're flying only an hour or so per week on average. $135/hour including GST for a Gazelle or $150/hour including GST for a new J170 is damn cheap when you think about it. The flying school can amortise the fixed costs (insurance, hangerage, initial purchase price, depreciation etc.) over a lot more hours than pretty much all private pilots. Also factor in all maintenance of the flying school aircraft being done by a LAME/L2. If you do your own maintenance then it's a different argument of course but not everyone is keen to do that - i'll show you my lawnmower if you think I should try doing my own maintenance!

 

There's also no stress if (heaven forbid!) you can't fly for a few months! That said it's often cheaper to rent than own a home but most people simply like having something they can call theirs...

 

 

[winsor68]

I reckon a Drifter at the average of $15k or so they seem to sell for would be a bloody economical machine to own. Should be more of it! lol

 

 

[rdarby]

I think hiring works if you fly for a total cost of under $1000 a month. Two hours of hiring a month won't cover owning, as you start off with too large a fixed cost.

 

The thing with a 582 is, the hourly cost is the same as a 912, and it lasts a quarter of the time. And costs a quarter of the price. I have seen 912 planes for $30k before, they would be a good buy.

 

But a plane for under $20k that maybe you just leave alone and go hire, and only lose your $20k, is tempting. It's only $20k and many people can save that up again.

 

I was thinking of borrowing the money but I think if I take 5 years I can buy something nice through saving instead.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

you can pickup Tornados with 912s for $25k in the states.

 

 

[Herm]

That is cheap. If you put away $15 an hour towards a new engine, you could pay the $5000 each 300 hours.However, a 912 would cost the same if you put the same $15 aside for 2000 hours.

 

I am starting to believe there is no cheaper option than hiring! On a budget of about $500 a month for flying, it's hard to own once you add up hangar rental, money aside for a new engine, insurance etc.

Ask lots of questions and don't be in a hurry. I purchased my trike and had it for 8 years. I just sold it for the price I paid for it as I really looked after it. Only cost me my fees and fuel and normal upkeep..

 

Mardy