Nev,
Yes true in some respect, the gearbox needs an inspection at 600hrs but I am thinking that may have gone out to 800hrs now but don't quote me on it, and yes hoses to replace ect but that is a far cry from re ringing, new heads and valves not to mention thru bolts on average around 400 to 500 hrs, not many 912's ever have the heads touched in 2000hrs, you may get the odd one but nothing like we are seeing from a J engine, J has been around 20 odd years and so has Rotax (25 years) for the 912, one of them has got it right compared to the other in reliability stakes IMO and they have produced 45000 more engines with far less failures than we are seeing of late.
The aircraft itself I have no problem with, it is the mentality of the owner/factory blaming everyone else for their inadequacies I cannot stomach, I know for a fact that one of my friends when buying one on pickup had a few queries regarding the aircraft finish and the answer he got was do you want it or not, because if you don't someone else will buy it, now that is customer service hands down.
Yes some have had a good run out of them and plenty of others haven't and some have not had a pleasant experience from the factory either.
I for one would love nothing more than J to be a bit more robust, it would be the best valued aircraft in the world today except for what is powering it at the moment.
Yes wouldn't we all like a turbine in our organisation as far more reliable and also far more expensive in price and overhaul.
Alf