Danny,

   As a APS attendee, I could not possibly disagree with you more on the value of attending this course.  I have easily saved several times what I spent to attend, not only in decreased fuel burn over the years since, but from the knowledge I gained in reading and troubleshooting your engines through techniques they teach in how to read what your engine analyzer is telling you.

   One example is the technique to do an occasional mag check at altitude before you begin a descent.  On two different occasions, that check revealed a rough engine on a single ignition source. On two mags, I couldn't feel any roughness, so wasn't aware anything was wrong.  Once I felt it on the mag check, my analyzer told me which cylinder wasn't firing.  Once on the ground, I repeated the check and all plugs worked OK.  It was the altitude that caused the affected plugs to arc.  Without having to go to a shop, I replaced the affected plug and was good to go.

   Another thing that happened to me was a slightly clogged fuel injector.  From my APS course, I was able to diagnose the problem, pull the affected injector and clean it myself.

  I don't now what your FBO charges per hour to troubleshoot and fix engines, but I've saved myself a wallet full of dollars on this kind of stuff and my guess is that any other APS attendee will tell you the same thing.  The real intangible though is that if you make a habit of using the techniques you're taught in that class, your engine will go longer before needing a top end or overhaul.  The corporate knowledge of the instructors in that class is unbelievable and they'll make you understand everything they teach.  For me, it was an investment that keeps on giving.  

   Skip Slater

   N540ES

 

I’m not convinced of the ROI for spending $995 on this course in my particular case. As an example, for my LNC2 with an IO-360, if I burn 9 gph running ROP and 8.5 gph running LOP (best case scenario), how long does it take to recover the expense? To keep it simple, let’s say I spend $6/gal. So, that’s $995 x gal/$6 / 0.5gph = 331.7 hrs, or about 3 years of flying. So, the question becomes, is it worth all the hub bub? Again, for me, I think not. For you guys with the high burn rates, maybe so. But what is your actual hourly saving and is it worth the additional stress on your engines for the potentially much lower TBO? You decide and your mileage may vary.

Danny Miller

N 38° 43' 25.7"

W 77° 30' 38.6"