Columbia Engines Bloomsberg PA

Anybody have any experience with this company, good or bad? Considering them for some work.

Thanks

We just put an IO-540 of theirs on an aztec. We run it tomorrow....

4 or so years I hired them to IRAN a prop strike 0320 I purchased. And do a 500 hour inspection on the mags and put an epoxy float in the carb per the M/S service bulletin. About the time their workmanship warranty was expiring, 6 months, one mag started leaking oil. I sent it to them for repair. We had quite a debate about whether or not I should pay. Not happy. Well it started leaking again. Sent it to Aircraft Magneto Service for repair. No problems since. And that small screw over the data plate on the carb fell out. BTW, last summer I sent the carb to M/S for evaluation since I was having more issues with it. Completely and totally worn out, whatever that means, was their diagnosis. Apparently Columbia missed that.

So you had the float SB done. Did you pay for a carb. OH? If not, maybe you got exactly what you paid for? Or maybe not?

Not sure about the mag. either? Is the 500 hour inspection and a overhaul the same thing? Again you might have gotten what you paid for or maybe not?

I certainly don't have a dog in this fight but I wonder........?

An overhaul gets you an airworthy mag the first time. A 500 hour inspection allows a CRS to send out a non-airworthy mag twice.

I used them to overhaul the planetary gears for two geared 0-435s for a Super Widgeon. No problems at all but that was some time ago and before their flood.

Jim

Several years ago I was exporting a CAP-10. The mags had been overhauled by them. Somehow the mags that they overhauled for an AEIO-360 were labeled as S6LNs. Something lacking in quality control to label 4 cylinder mags as six cylinder mags. Took 2 weeks to send them back and get the correct data tags on them.

Lately I’ve been using Valley Aviation LLC in Mt. Jackson VA for engine work.


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So, now I confess I had a bad experience with them. Not costly and not dangerous, but before I said anything I wanted to hear other experiences. I’ve heard a few good and a few not so good. Not just here, but talking to others around my airport. I guess that’s to be expected. I won’t go into detail but they are off my list. You know what they say: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

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