A lot of people admire this kind of work but aren't as mechanical as others. Its really a huge thing for them to take the plunge and do something so foreign to them. No different than someone asking you to get your MSCE certification from Microsoft. Now that was just about as challenging as getting a pilots license w/IFR, or any number of other certifications having to do with the job.
If you can overhaul and engine, you have a special skill that lots of others would love to have. From a 235 in 1976 to a 289 in 1978 and on and on.. you have to start somewhere. Does that help answer what is so hard about it? After this many years of human interaction, I am a genius to some, a complete idiot to others. I just do my thing and hope others benefit.
