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Costly LSA Maintenance


chanik

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In the latest Avweb http://www.avweb.com...g_208712-1.html the owner of US Aviation in Tx complains that LSA planes (Remos) his large school uses are 50% more to operate than the old C152 and most of that comes from a huge $69/hr vs $28/hr overall maintenance rate. Sort of 8x higher than I have for my CT. When I had a PA28, $28/hr sounds abut right but $69? He says most of that is due to cumbersome paperwork, needing to get LOAs all the time and struggle to figure out how to fix the new birds. I had no idea I was saving $60 in maintenance costs just by being experimental.

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Well, he did mention Remos... have you ever tried to call them???? Good luck! According to what I've seen, they haven't sold a plane in two years, and have little-to-no dealers or service centers. It's too bad the article broadens the problem to "LSAs" when their experience is clearly Remos. And then their second choice of aircraft... Breezer? Nice enough aircraft, but it looks like there are no more than 13 in the country!?!

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I thought I had seen these numbers before. This is from an April 2012 article in Aviation Consumer. No matter the difference, I just don't want to fly the same plane I trained in 30 years ago. Even then it was already 15 years old.

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Has anyone here had to wait for parts from FD?

 

In the early years yes. I haven't needed anything besides a set of brake brake pads for a long time though and they had them in stock.

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I know some have, as FD sometimes waits until they can "fill a container" to get parts here economically. Personally, I have received several parts in acceptable times, including a battery, and new front gear. Several Service Bulletin parts, like front spring replacements, and rear control springs, and others were available immediately. I'm resisting buying a new flap switch, but last I heard, there was one in stock.

Tim

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I've been waiting two months for a nose gear assembly and nose wheel pant! These parts were not available from FDUSA or Germany and I had to wait for them to be manufactured in the Ukraine and then pass through Germany. Parts were finally shipped yesterday and I had to pay an extra $1500 for freight direct so as not to wait who knows how long until parts made there way in a container to FDUSA. I am not a happy camper. If I were a flight school operator I would be livid. BTW, FDUSA has been very helpful in attempting to expedite this process but has not been able to have much effect. Roger Kuhn

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