I'm still pretty new to this whole homebuilding game, but when I first started thinking about it last year, the Rotec R-2800 immediately caught my eye. It still catches my eye, but with reservations.
Specifically, the guy who runs Bushwhacker Air had some really negative things to say about them a year ago, but his complaints were actually of a business nature, not a technical one. Still a valid reason to shy away, but not a show-stopper necessarily.
I'm also wary because I see descriptions like they have of themselves (with no mention of any engineering degrees, for instance), and I think, "Wait, I'm going to trust my life to an engine designed by these people?" Granted, it doesn't necessarily take a mechanical engineer to design a good engine, but I don't know where they range (and have no real way to find out) on the "idiot-genius" spectrum.
Which brings me to the real question: has anyone had direct experience with these things? Reports of problems? Reports of raging success? I've generally heard (second or third-hand) good things, and have no evidence-based reason for my distrust, so I'm looking to gather that evidence.
Specifically, the guy who runs Bushwhacker Air had some really negative things to say about them a year ago, but his complaints were actually of a business nature, not a technical one. Still a valid reason to shy away, but not a show-stopper necessarily.
I'm also wary because I see descriptions like they have of themselves (with no mention of any engineering degrees, for instance), and I think, "Wait, I'm going to trust my life to an engine designed by these people?" Granted, it doesn't necessarily take a mechanical engineer to design a good engine, but I don't know where they range (and have no real way to find out) on the "idiot-genius" spectrum.
Which brings me to the real question: has anyone had direct experience with these things? Reports of problems? Reports of raging success? I've generally heard (second or third-hand) good things, and have no evidence-based reason for my distrust, so I'm looking to gather that evidence.
