We have quite a few LA engines in our club. They are not the most powerful engines, but they all have one thing in common: They start and run. EVERY time. Very simple and very reliable. I have a 25LA that I bought in 1997 (my first engine). It has survived three major crashes (plane totaled) and is still in use quite often. It has plenty of power for relaxed flying with my Balsa USA Stick 40. The air-bleed carb can cause flameouts if not set properly, but a little tweaking should make the LAs run just fine. Obviously, they are not in the same league as Irvines or OS FX/SX when it comes to carb precision or power, but that's not what you paid for when you bought an LA...