If it's an Engine Question You Have, Wait No Longer

Phil Lockwood, who has more Rotax engine installations behind him than just about anybody, gets a lot of experience with these popular mills. In fact, he seldom can get away from his myriad customers, as there are so many, he's always answering questions.

That's what he's going to be doing on Saturday, at Lakeland-Linder Airport's FAA Safety Building, on the Sun 'n Fun grounds (where ANN's Editor-in-Chief, Jim Campbell, isn't allowed to tread; but I digress...), starting at 9 in the morning.

The free seminar will cover both two- and four-stroke Rotax designs, and will touch on break-in, maintenance, repair, tuning; and how to make your engine live a longer, healthier life.

Phil told us, "Seminars are something I can do to keep some people from maybe being injured; and it also lets them enjoy things more, avoiding expensive mistakes." In conjunction with his numerous airshow appearances (Phil is featured at all the big shows), Phil is at the chalkboard a lot. "I do about 12 a year; I try not to be away from home more than one weekend a month."

Lockwood Aviation's had a busy "off-season."

At his home base alongside the famous Sebring (FL) race track, on the airport, Lockwood Aviation has been adding another "half-section" to its building. That's 37 and a half feet long; and the building's 100 feet wide -- so Phil and crew will have another 3750 square feet to work in. "It's an addition for our new warehouse and engine overhaul shop," Mr Lockwood told us. "We're currently using the hangar for warehousing -- it's tricky with the forklift moving in there, with aircraft, and wings." Although the Lockwood forklift operator hasn't squashed one yet, it's always on his mind. "This gives us new space -- half will be a parts room; the other will let us inventory larger inventory, like engines," he said.

All that shuffling leads to... more moving: "and that allows us to move our engine shop into the old parts room, so it will be twice as large as the old one. Then the old parts room moves into its new digs, 2.5 times the size of the old one."

New services, too...

As of month ago, Lockwood is offering computer-dynamic balancing of propellers. Phil said it's more than just balancing, too; he uses the equipment for diagnostics, in ways that visual inspections aren't effective: "We can do spectrum-vibration analysis, of the engine itself," he said. "By comparing a data set with our existing data, we can tell whether the vibration is coming from the crankshaft, the camshaft, the gearbox the prop -- or whatever. We can tell." Pretty cool!

About Saturday:

Even if you've been to one of Phil's seminars, you'll see something new at this one: "I change them, revising material all along, as I come across better information," he said.

Here's a tip: show up early, and get your name on the lunch list -- they send out for sandwiches, pizza, whatever. There's also time to get to civilization during the lunch break, if you'd rather dine in Lakeland. Naturally, you can brown-bag it, too -- there's drink machines and water (but no food) at the FAA Safety Center, where the seminar will be held.

It should wrap up about 4PM.

FMI: www.lockwood-aviation.com