December 28, 2024 - Pickup RV-10 Engine at Lycoming Factory in Williamsport, PA

Nhu-An got the call from Lycoming mid-week.  After almost three years from the day it was ordered, the Thunderbolt O540 engine was ready for pickup!  Friday morning Nhu-An and I made the three-hour drive to the Lycoming factory in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Here Nhu-An is outside the main, and only, entrance.  As you might expect, security is tight.
   
Chris, the Lycoming Sales guy, pictured at center, gave us a tour of the factory -- for obvious reasons, no photography allowed -- then Nhu-An signed some paperwork, and then the boxed-up engine was loaded into Nhu-An's truck.
   
The engine, cardboard box and pallet weight a hefty 540 pounds.
   
The engine is inserted into the Tundra.
   
Safely secured in the Tundra.
   
The happy owner of a brand new Thunderbolt!
   
It was three hours back to Essex Skypark where Don met us.  The big challenge:  how to get the 540 pound engine/pallet off the truck?  Don and I explored the possibility of sliding it down some ramps, but we didn't feel comfortable about just the two of us trying it.
   
In the end, we decided to park the truck/engine in Tom's hangar, next to his Maule, and figure out how to safely get the engine out of the truck tomorrow.
   

The next day, a bunch of people were at the Skypark, and we were able to manhandle the engine box down the ramps and safely on the ground.

Left to right:  Moi, Nhu-An, Chuck, Joe, Tom, Mark.
   
Looking good in Nhu-An's hangar.  Next week, we hang the engine!
   
 
   
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