When feasible, Aerotec Engines can provide pick-up and delivery services. Whether your aircraft is located at a major international airport or a local dirt strip, we can come to you.
When we receive an engine, our production schedule and work order board will be updated with the owner’s information, the engine’s status, work to be performed, etc. We will also conduct a log book review to ensure we capture all the previous work carried out on the engine.
After an inspection for damage and unique circumstances, a newly-received engine is carefully taken apart in our tear-down bay.
Following tear-down, engine parts are cleaned to remove oil and grease. Most parts will be hand-washed in oil solvents and subsequently air-dried.
When necessary, engine components are blasted to remove paint and layers of carbon build-up. Here, cylinder parts are stripped of carbon deposits.
Cylinders are taken to the cylinder shop, where they will be inspected, disassembled if necessary, cleaned, and reassembled.
Cylinders in the Cylinder Shop ready for maintenance. Tools shown include calipers, a micrometer, a cylinder bore gauge and a flashlight.
A crankshaft awaits non-destructive testing on our magnetic particle inspection (MPI) apparatus, visible in the background. Our NDT equipment also includes Liquid penetrant testing and inspection (LPI) and Ultrasonic Testing.
Non-destructive testing is conducted under UV light to inspect for cracks. Here, a liquid suspension of magnetic particles is applied to a connecting rod.
All exposed and vulnerable parts will be painted to protect against corrosion. Our standard colors for most parts are Lycoming Gray (pictured) and Continental Gold, but, of course, special requests can be accommodated.
Here’s one custom paint job we’ve done: yellow crankcase, black cylinders, and silver trim.
Custom paint job for a fast plane: racing red crankcase, gray cylinders, and silver trim.
Our display engines (here, en route to a trade show) have been painted in an Aerotec Engines blue-and-silver color scheme. Cylinders can even be painted two-tone (see engine in front).
The Inspection station, with two unassembled engines in the queue. Each engine is assigned a rolling tray, on which all parts and information pertaining to that engine are kept.
Before any engine part is used in an Aerotec engine, it will be thoroughly inspected and validated against manufacturer tolerances. This process usually takes 10-12 hours, depending on the engine’s complexity.
Parts in inspection.
As the physical center of an engine, crankshafts are inspected carefully for flaws that may compromise safety or performance.
We stock a large inventory of certified and experimental engine parts, available for sale. Contact our Stores Department for more information.
Before assembly, a crankshaft is polished on our lathe. We take every step to ensure that your engine will run smoothly and trouble-free.
These stock/exchange engines are ready to be assembled when needed. See our list of engines available for sale under the Services page.
Each engine is built around its crankshaft, bolted vertically to an engine stand known as a button. Here, technicians apply finishing touches and check torques on a smaller four-cylinder engine.
Engine assembly can take anywhere from ten to fifty or more hours, depending on engine size, complexity, and familiarity. Because no mistakes can be made, the process is calm and unrushed.
Before shipment, engines are oiled and run for several hours in our Test Cell. We have more than fifteen different test props to choose from, depending on engine power and RPM specifications.
Technicians sit behind the Test Cell window and monitor engine performance with a battery of sensors. Engines do not ship until they have met manufacturers’ recommended benchmarks.
In the final step, our engines are carefully secured, packed in crates, and shipped worldwide. Here, in our loading bay, the process comes full-circle, with a newly-torn-down engine in the foreground.
When feasible, we can deliver engines in person. Here, an engine is loaded into one of our vehicles in preparation for delivery. When requesting a quote, inquire about shipping and delivery options available to you.
Here is a newly-installed Aerotec engine in a client’s aircraft.
Aerotec President Jason Crowell shakes hands with Wings Over Canada host John Lovelace after the installation of an Aerotec Engine in their Cessna.
We pride ourselves on our personal service to every customer. Be sure to tell us how we may be of service to you and your aircraft.