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Aircraft Engine Overhauls, Prop Strikes and more.

  • 01.04.2022

Here at Norvic, we pride ourselves in being one of the leading aircraft engine overhaul companies, but what exactly is it we do? Well hopefully we’re about to clear up any questions you might have about our Lycoming & Continental Aircraft engine overhaul / exchange services.

Time Between Overhauls (TBO) is determined by the manufacturer, this is an estimate of the longevity of the engine before it may need overhaul and will vary dependant on the manufacturer, size and structure of the engine. For example, while jet engines will often have TBOs around 4,000 hours of running time, piston based engines will be around 2,000 hours due to the OEM’s engine overhaul requirements. Acrobatic light aircraft running piston engines require much more frequent overhaul. Lycoming allow a 200 hour extension if, at overhaul, only genuine Lycoming parts have been used. That’s why at Norvic, we prefer to fit only genuine Lycoming parts.

The Process/What is an Engine Overhaul?

An Engine Overhaul involves stripping, inspecting for damages and worn out and mandatory parts as per Lycoming and Continental overhaul manuals, repair or replacement and finally reassembly and testing to ensure a full, effective rebuild. Some engines come in for repair, for example because of a crack in a crankcase, an issue with the camshaft, a problem with the crankshaft, burning oil or oil in the filter that are insufficient hours into TBO (Time Between Overhauls) to justify a major overhaul. They can be repaired.

Engine Overhaul and Norvic Exchange Overhaul

An overhaul, unlike a repair, is a much more complex disassembly of the full engine and will be done on expiry of TBO, whether that’s expiry on hours or expiry on time, because each engine also has a time limit. For commercial use it’s usually 10 years, for private use it’s usually 20 years, but there are extensions available.

Is an Engine Overhaul Necessary?

Think of your TBO as similar to an MOT on a car. Your vehicle may still run perfectly fine as far as you know, but every year you are due an MOT check up to ensure everything is safe and running as best it can be. So in short, to keep yourself safe and for that little extra peace of mind while you’re hundreds of feet in the air, stick to your recommended TBO and get that overhaul/exchange, our experts can identify even the most subtle damages and defects to get your aircraft running as good as new.

Here are a few tell-tale signs you might need an engine overhaul:

  • Your TBO is close by – fairly self-explanatory!
  • High oil consumption – if your aircraft is using oil at an unusual rate its probably best to get things checked over.
  • Metal in the oil filter – during a routine oil change, it can be good to check inside the filter for shrapnel, an abundance may be a sign of serious engine problems.

Prop Strike and Shock Load

Propeller Strikes are defined as anything that causes damage to your propeller, whether it be an impact with something solid causing a mishappen blade or even tall grass or water causing an RPM drop. Prop strike recommendations differ between manufacturers so it is always important to check your respective guides.

How about checking out our friend The Flying Reporter’s video regarding our Shock Load Repair procedure and how we act upon a propeller strike!

https://youtu.be/UOI8RjMGXRo

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