TBO

Can a part 61 flight school go over TBO on a 172 RG?

TBO is the engines life expectancy, it could go longer or die in the first few hours.

Many pilots think that "new" is better, when the facts show that most engine have problems during their "infant mortality" phase. An engine running fine at 2000 hours can go much longer. A brand new engine is the one that makes me nervous.

I knew a guy who flew pipeline patrol in a C-172 behind a 8000 hour engine.
 
I met a mechanic one time that was doing work on a brand new Mooney and I found out that the brand new engine had a either a cracked head or cracked block, I can't remember.
 
Can a part 61 flight school go over TBO on a 172 RG?
Yup. So can a 141. We regularly went 200-400 hours over on our 172Rs. The engine in those things is essentially bulletproof, especially if flown every day for 4-6 hours like ours were.
 
We have an O-360 at 3000 hours in a training environment.
Doesn't surprise me one bit.

They LOOOOOVE to be flown. Sitting and not getting run or maintained is what kills airplanes and motors.
 
Sitting and not getting run or maintained is what kills airplanes and motors.

My theory about why some airplanes have "delicate" engines is that they are installed on airplanes that rarely fly (Duke, 421, Malibu, ect). And when they do fly, they are run way too hot.

OTOH, engines in flight school, skydive, and freight planes, are flown almost daily and last for a LONG time. I'll bet if somebody flew a Duke 3 times a week or more, those engines would be much more reliable.
 
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