Guess he should have used a whole VW engine.
From what I have read there are crankshaft balance issues with cutting a VW engine in half, but it makes the weight issue more reasonable. I am sure there are other problems. It is probably a cheap and reasonably good choice for a power plant. I looked at some of the photo’s of the modified engines and they do not look bad.
It is a common practice, but you can have engine failures on a lot of products. It is just a little more serious when you cannot get out and kick the tires.
I am not sure what other options for power plants are out there for a plane this small. I have always wanted to fly a plane, but my wife will not even get on a commercial airline. And of course there is the money thing, do not have that either. My son and I do fly R/C sailplanes, though. Safer, but less fun.
My wife and I took about six kids and cousins to Disneyland some years ago.
She suggested we split the kids in half between us.
“Who gets the heads?” was not met with laughter, after 6 hours in the Orlando heat.