Viking Engine

[radfordc]

In fairness, Sonex has been criticized for essentially the same thing...updating the Aerovee engine over time. Customers who bought an engine and then saw major changes have voiced their displeasure.

[fastj22]

I pulled the trigger and canceled my Viking order and requested my deposit returned.
Partly because I have a growing concern over the recent developments with Viking and lack of progress with a Sonex install, and mostly because I found a very nice Jabiru 3300 on Barnstormers which I purchased and received this weekend.

[rizzz]

In fairness, Sonex has been criticized for essentially the same thing...updating the Aerovee engine over time. Customers who bought an engine and then saw major changes have voiced their displeasure.

That is true,
Jabiru also has done numerous revisions over the years.

Maybe even more of a reason to go with designs that have been around for a while.

[142YX]

Anybody know the percentage of experimental crashes due to nonstandard engine failures? (By non-standard i mean something different than what everybody else was using) I am sure it is pretty high.. i am not saying don

[Sonex1517]

This is one reason I was so careful in picking the kit and engine combination. I'm a realist about the Aero-Vee, it offers a reliable engine at a good price, and should be easily maintained. Are there "better" choices? Maybe, probably....

But in my personal view the risks go way up unless you are very, very experienced with experimental aircraft and engines. I have little in the way of such hands-on experience.

[Sonex1517]

I pulled the trigger and canceled my Viking order and requested my deposit returned.
Partly because I have a growing concern over the recent developments with Viking and lack of progress with a Sonex install, and mostly because I found a very nice Jabiru 3300 on Barnstormers which I purchased and received this weekend.

Please follow up, if you would, and let us know when they return the deposit. (I'm trying to stay on the high road here) I know someone else who went through this and am very curious how it turns out for you.

[rizzz]

Now there seems to be uncertainty about which engine mount will be used for the Viking on the Sonex:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Vikingair ... ssage/1008
Again this shows he has really not thought this all the way through before going to the market and he's developing as he goes along, like with the Eggenfellner Subaru engines the customers are the main testing department for his product.
I really hoped he had learned his lesson this time around because the Viking looks like it could be a great product, oh well, who knows it might turn out OK after all but so far my confidence has been shaken again and again...

[chris]

At least its not a major engine change. I can understand some brainstorming and evolving ideas for designing (or modifying) a mount for an airplane that the engine has never been bolted on.

[fastj22]

No deposit returned. I really am not expecting one now. If anyone wants to use my deposit, I'll sell it to you for $500.
I'm really glad I cancelled though. Even if I lost my deposit. I now have a Jab3300 hanging on the front of my plane and I'm moving forward with the project at a pretty good clip.

His move now to adapt to the Aerovee mount just tells me he doesn't know the best way to hang one on a Sonex. I really hope it works out. We need more options for powerplants.

[TaxMaverick]

Isn't the point of a deposit that it is not refundable?

I put a car for sale on Craigslist on a Saturday one time. A girl gave me a $200 deposit to hold it for her until she could get the rest of the money out of the bank on Monday. Other people were calling and I turned them away. Monday she changed her mind and asked for her deposit back. I gave it back because she was a whining girl.

I probably could have sold the car in one day if it was not for her dinking me around. Instead, I spent four or five days selling it.

If I ever take a deposit again, I am making it clear I keep the deposit if they back out. It is compensation for them making me do things in reliance on their agreement to buy.

Eggenfellner wound up with some screwed Subaru customers. But, I do not think this means he should lose he right for life the keep a $1,000 deposit from someone who backs out because they find a deal they like better on something else -- like the used Jabiru 3300 you scored on Barnstormers. In my opinion, this is true even if you comb the internet for other reason not to like Eggenfellner -- all of which you could have found before making your deposit.