Training

This course was developed to improve the operational safety of the Russian designed and Romanian built YAK 52 aircraft by educating both owners and mechanics on how to properly maintain these aircraft. The aircraft, its radial engine and its unique systems are unlike any American built aircraft the owner or his mechanic may be familiar with. Because of this uniqueness, the training offered in this course is designed to familiarize owners and mechanics with the aircraft and its systems and to give the owner and his mechanic the confidence it can be maintained to the same high standards as any Standard Category certificated aircraft manufactured in the U.S.

In this course the student will learn the unique Yak 52 aircraft and its systems and how to properly maintain them. The student will also learn the basics of maintaining the M14P radial engine. Additionally, upon completion of this course, the student will be armed with adequate knowledge of his aircraft to assist his A&P mechanic with the aircraft’s annual condition inspection in accordance with FAR 43 Appendix D.

This course is not intended to instruct Yak 52 owners or mechanics in the basics of aircraft and engine repair such as sheet metal repair or removal and replacement of fabric on the Yak 52 moveable control surfaces or the removal and replacement of major engine components such as cylinders or accessory cases. Major repairs of this nature should be accomplished by or under the guidance of an A&P mechanic with significant knowledge and experience of the repair to be accomplished and of the Yak 52 aircraft and the M14P engine. Owners with minimal mechanical aptitude or experience should not attempt repairs to their aircraft and should seek the assistance of a person or mechanic with specific knowledge of the Yak 52 aircraft and its engine.

"After completing the YAK52 maintenance seminar at your facility, I came away with a high degree of confidence in my ability to maintain the various systems particular to this machine. Without doubt it is necessary for any pilot/owner new to 52's to understand what goes on behind that big radial engine. Dennis carefully explains the operation and maintenance of all systems and provides the hands-on knowledge necessary for safe mechanical operation and upkeep. It was time and money well spent."

Glenn Foy YAK52TW
Indianapolis, Indiana

" Thank you again for your time and expertise. The training course was invaluable!! I was extremely impressed with the quality of your course syllabus, classroom material and teaching style. I wish the course lasted a week!! I have a more thorough understanding of what kinds of things to look for upon periodic inspection and I am now confident I can properly accomplish routine engine checks and maintenance thanks to your demonstrations during the training class. As far as value, flying as many hours as I do throughout the year, I will recoup the cost of the class this year alone, by being able to do 100 hour checks and adjustments myself. Thanks Again,"
Aaron Marshall

" I was very satisfied with the course and would highly recommend it to anyone who owns a Yak 52. To understand the systems allows me to better fly the plane. To understand the maintenance procedures allows me to notice more in my preflight and to do more frequent minor maintenance on a regular basis. I think taking the course will make my flying safer and save me time and money in the future. It was also fun. I would especially encourage taking the course and doing the annual at the same time as I did. This worked out great. I got the annual done, got to know my plane better, and had a good time. Thanks Dennis."
Steve Johnson -

"    Being a second timer in the Yak 52 arena, I knew there were things I never quite figured out on the care and feeding of my Yak. And, having worked 4 months on my new paint job and probably another couple of weeks work ahead, I decided to get help getting N2504U back into the air. After reading your posts on the Yak List, I knew your help and expertise would fill the bill.
     Your suggestion of combining the training course with getting my plane airworthy was just the ticket. During the process I learned detailed information of systems and processes that I had some idea, but no depth of knowledge.
     I appreciate your help and friendship,"
Phil Salter

"    I just wanted to take a few seconds and express how grateful I am that you spent the time with us on the Yak systems. As I told you when I first met you I was not a mechanic nor did I have much experience dealing with aircraft systems and engines. Being a new Yak owner and having you work with me sure has made a great difference in my system and engine knowledge. The time with you has been most valuable and I would recommend your time and class to anyone. If someone wants to talk to me about your class I would be more than happy to explain what I got out of it. Thanks again, and Best Regards,"
Fred Souders

"    I have recently purchased a yak 52 that had not flown for several years. I have no Yak experience and no round engine experience, however I have owned aircraft since 1972, been a A&P since 1976, and have built a couple of airplanes. To tackle this project without help would have been similar to fishing a new lake without a guide. You may catch some fish but it will take a lot longer.  Dennis is an excellent guide. His course starts with a 2 hour (instructor's comment: actually about 4.5 hours) Power Point presentation and a notebook to follow along with the presentation. Then we go to the hanger and spend 6-8 hours on the airplane. The second day is another 6-8 hours on the airplane. If you are new in the Yak community without a lot of experience, I highly recommend this course."
Stan Mehrhoff

"    Just a quick note to applaud the YAK-52 maintenance seminar provided by Mr. Dennis Savarese. I have 20 years in the aircraft service industry, and a rather broad variety of experience, yet Dennis was a friendly reminder that one can never stop learning. After sending my local FAA the training syllabus, I was called with their praise and thankfulness that someone was providing hard to get training. I have utmost confidence that I can now properly maintain a 52TW."
Michael Sturges, Maryland, U.S.A.

"    What a great resource, I would recommend your maintenance seminar to anyone who purchases a yak 52, or operates an aircraft with the M14 engine. The information is organized and easy to understand, if a laymen like myself can understand it anyone can. I now feel more confident when operating the aircraft, as well as assisting my maintenance tech when doing oil changes and inspections. GREAT SEMINAR!! Thanks Dennis."
    Best Regard's
Rob Cook, YAK 52TW
(The guy with the "sissy Yak".) Instructor's comment: It's called a "sissy yak" because it has electric start AND air start capabilities.

" I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to visit Wetumka and complete your Yak 52 Maintenance class recently. I found your class to be informative, professional, and very comprehensive. Although the systems on the Yak are not complex they are unique with respect to your typical civilian aircraft. The photographs and schematics detailing the specific components of each system in the aircraft were particularly helpful. The hands-on portion of the class conducted in the hangar on the second day was the highlight of the course. After attending your course I now have a much better understanding of the Yak's mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, oil, and fuel systems, things I would have spent countless hours (years?) trying to figure out on my own had I not taken your class. I would not hesitate to recommend this class to anyone seeking comprehensive instruction on the components and systems of the Yak 52. Thanks again for an excellent class. Well Done!!"

"    ...... After 23 years in Naval Aviation, I am quite accustomed to knowing my particular aircraft's systems quite intimately. While the Yak is a far cry simpler, the documentation leaves a lot to be desired. I could have eventually sorted it out, I suppose, but your course ramped up my knowledge far more efficiently. The hands-on maintenance portion of the course has provided greater confidence in working on the aircraft. Additionally, knowing what common problems areas to check for has increased my confidence in the aircraft itself.
    Even if you have no interest in actually working on your aircraft, the enhanced knowledge you gain on aircraft and engine systems will help you troubleshoot a problem before you hand it off to your friendly A&P. More importantly, you can recognize problems before they bite and leave you stranded... or worse.
    In short, it was a great course and has made me a more knowledgeable and safer Yak Driver."

" ......I can only state that the 'ROI' on the time and money I invested was way above 'market'! Not only in terms of being able to amortize the money quickly -- as I am now able to do a lot of work (preventive maintenance and small repairs) myself but also in terms of knowing and appreciating the inner workings of my powerful Russian/Romanian bird.
Compliments also in regard to the CD based and supported documentation of the course. Last but not least I found you to be a patient and knowledgeable teacher. I think your clinic adds value to the YAK Community.
Johann Finkelmeier
N 52 CG Yak 52

" I've just finished the maintenance course on the Yak-52 and M14P engine that Dennis Savarese conducts. I was very impressed with his organization, and depth of knowledge of all the aircraft's and engine's systems. I thought I was fairly knowledgeable on most systems, but Dennis' expertise really filled in all the gaps.
I would recommend this course to all Yak owners, regardless of whether you're a long term owner or brand new to the aircraft. Thanks Dennis for two, well-spent days."
Richard Hess
Yak-52W owner

"    ..... The course is well designed and presented with a day of classroom including computer-presented photos and text and a workbook, with photos, designed for note taking. Dennis is very knowledgeable and has an excellent presentation style; he is responsive to questions. He presented material that any individual might spend months (or years) digging out on their own. The second day was in a hangar dealing with my airplane. We went through about every system - hands on - with Dennis directing and the student (me) doing the work.
    I would hate to try to maintain the aircraft without the information and experience that I picked up through Dennis' course. We discovered some specific problems that needed attention on my aircraft during the session. Check out the outline of the course; if you know all you want to know about everything listed, you may not profit that much. If you don't, you will gain a great deal from the course. It was a very valuable experience for me."
MICHAEL ROEHR

"    Thank you for the opportunity to make use of your training course. Not only did it enhance my ability to apply preventative maintenance for my Yak-52, but the course also gave me a very good overview of the unknown features and systems present on my plane. It is my recommendation to anybody that wants to get to know their Yak-52 better and be a safer pilot by the means of maintenance to make use of your course. The material you supply is really helpful and complete."
Deon Esterhuizen
Yak-52
N192YK

To George Coy, GESOCO Industries,
" Just wanted to report that I completed the new Yak-52 maintenance training session with Dennis Savarese yesterday and couldn't be more pleased with the product and results for me. While I had picked up a lot from you, Carl Schels, Carl Hays, etc. through the years, I learned even more from Dennis and refreshed my memory on many other things.
My confidence level on many items is now much higher. I would highly recommend this to any new Yak owner--or even one like myself who has owned a Yak for some time and has done lots of "hands-on" already. Dennis has developed the material into a very profession package with both printed and CD format leave-behinds. His presentation style is
easy to follow-as well as being informative........"
Buddy Moman
YAK 52 TW