I confess to having a greed for speed, but knowing that speed costs money (usually more than I have...), I have to come to grips with the future of my flying. That said, I have no doubts that the E6 can and will provide the speed I would like when I want to use it (at the expense of fuel burn), but it has proved many times over that it is one of the most economical ways to fly. Flying is the most important thing, not speed, as I may have led on in previous posts.
The reliability of the Subaru engine speaks for itself. The supporting systems are still proving themselves, but I have faith that they will prove to be as reliable as anyone expects them to be.
Getting back to costs. I actually fear the costs of operating a traditional powerplant. When I had my Cherokee 180 with three partners, we had a huge cushion of being able to split big ticket items such as cylinders or an overhaul. Can't do that with my own airplane. I don't have the resources to fix an unexpected major problem with a Lycoming or derivative, such as a crankshaft AD's or glazed cylinders. That's where the Subaru shines for me. Being able to work on it myself, and able to afford parts when needed is a major plus. When I was in my late teens, I wanted a Ferrari (still do...), and I saved enough money to put a down payment on an older 308. In a decision made with my head, not my, ahem, you know, I bought a Toyota MR2 (SWEET CAR!!). Cost to maintain. That may be a bad analogy, and I'm not comparing the Ferrari to a Lyc and MR2 to the Sube, but I made the smart decision by going with what I could actually afford to drive. Seems fitting that I follow suit with my airplane engine.
So while I'm still a ways from needing an engine, I'm going to stick with my order and proceed with what I feel is the right decision for me. Who else am I building this for anyway?
Sorry this was long, but it's been on my mind.
My other friend's para-Lyco 7 weighs 1175 with a full interior and panel.
