Zephyr Engines earns high marks for superb after-the-sale support.

by Paul Bertorelli

Buying an engine overhaul is a scary proposition. A decent one costs a sum of money equivalent to a quarter or more of the airplane’s value, you have make decisions about things you might know nothing about—which cylinders to use, for instance—and the blasted thing could tank or rust into junk a year after you signed the check to pay for it. (No one ever said owning an airplane is for sissies.)

It’s not an exaggeration to say that when you buy an overhaul, you abandon yourself—and your wallet—to the tender mercies of the shop doing the work. It therefore pays to pick the shop wisely, read the fine…