So it will be some time before the plane gets worked on again. My wife just finished a nine month long project, and we just started a project that will take a minimum of 18 years...



http://www.genevievemarzulli.org/

Over the weekend only a little building got done due to camping, and then a light cold.

There was no working on the "Sky Jeep" over the weekend. Instead, the real Jeep was taken out and given a proper workout.

Picasa has now added the ability to not automatically start the embedded slide shows. Please hit play or forward to navigate.

No building Wednesday night, just flying.

Thursday is the solstice, so I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful lighting conditions that occur in the northwest.

The weather was threatening on Saturday so we drove to Wick's. The traffic was horrible and conditions only improved.

In the end they only had 70 silver clecos, but anything helps.

Wednesday I spend a few minutes making the jig for the fuel tank channel, and almost an hour cleaning up my workshop.

Monday some jerk broke into my Jeep at about 9:15AM, right before I normally leave for work, and stole my Garmin 496.

Sunday I finally flew a CH-701, albeit only for a little while and from the right seat. It gave me some renewed vigor to finish the project.

Project Status:
Wings: 44h ( 1h, 1h, 0.5h, 2.5h, 4h, 1h, 1.5h, 1h, 1.5, 4.5, 1h, 1h, 2h, 4h, 1h, 3h, 1h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h )
Flaperons: ( DONE! ) 23.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1.5h, 3h, 6h, 3h, 4h, 1h )
Paint Design: 2 hours spent ( 1h, 1h )
Elevator DONE!: ~31.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1.5h, 3h, .5h, 3.5h, 2h, 4h, 1.5h, 2h, 4.5h, 1h, 6h )
Horizontal Stabilizer DONE!: ~28 hours spent, 3 pieces replaced ( 3h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 3.5h, 1.5h, 5, 4.5, 2h, .5h )
Rudder DONE!, minus horn : ~16 hours spent, ( ~8h, ~8h )
-----------------------
Total Done: ~145.5 hours

The only word that can describe the H4 "Hercules" is ginormous.

8.6 hours in a C150. That is a long time. Highlights of the trip included visiting the Hughes H4- Hercules and attempting STOL operations that I decided were impossible at gross weight at high density altitude with wind shear in a tight mountain ravine airport.

The entire trip was done over two days. The first day was 4.8 hours and went from Seattle to Portland, fuel in McMinnville, over Eugene, attempted landing at Oakridge and the back to Eugene.

The return was 3.8 hours and was from Eugene, fuel in McMinnville, over Portland and then to Seattle.

Enough good things can not be said about the Garmin 496... especially the XM radio part. Listening to some music on the long legs really helped. The PMA audio panel would automagicaly mute the input audio when talking or receiving transmission. There are a few things that would change about the unit, but a full reviewing post will come later.

I spent a total of 4.5 hours getting the elevator horns drilled along with the center hinge bracket. The new Zenith bracket was the right size!

Luckily there was some scrap aluminum to make the cable template out of.

The next steps are the side brackets, the mating of the elevator and stabilizer and the final riveting.

Saturday was spent getting my night currency back. The last time I logged night hours was November 2005. While I was practicing fireworks were being shot from Lake Washington in celebration of Seafair. The explosions were probably just a little over two miles away, and at about the same altitude.

Project Status:
Elevator: ~24.5 hours spent ( 3h, 1.5h, 3h, .5h, 3.5h, 2h, 4h, 1.5h, 2h, 4.5h )
Horizontal Stabilizer: ~28 hours spent, 3 pieces replaced ( 3h, 2h, 2h, 2h, .5h, 1.5h, 3.5h, 1.5h, 5, 4.5, 2h, .5h )
Rudder Done, minus horn : ~16 hours spent, ( ~8h, ~8h )
-----------------------
Total Done: ~69.5 hours