Fall is in the Air

Its been awhile since my last post.  I have been busy working, and working on the cub.  The engine section is almost complete, which brings a huge smile to my face.  I'm excited to bolt her on the next rendition of "Lady Alpha" in a year or so.  I'm waiting on an airbox and a new muffler and then its just little stuff from there.

Baffling is complete.  The oil cooler is installed, lines, oil cooler winter vent, etc.  Mags are timed and harnesses are hooked up!

New rocker covers installed, along with a new engine mount.  Also have the air/oil separator back on with its tubing.

My next focus is going to be on something different than my cub.  I'm going to finish up my CDCs for my job with the Air National Guard.  I plan to have them done before the end of October.  Then once I'm done with them, I plan on getting my IA.  This will help drastically with the paperwork with this new cub I'm building.  Also, I will be able to annual friends planes.  Then in March I hope to get my ATP.  Really excited for this, because it can open up many more opportunities in the flying industry, should I choose to leave Era Alaska.

While working on all these extra curicular activities, I'm going to be putting together a set of wings also.  I hope to have my wings done early spring of 2012.  I'm getting excited.  Been working on some different paint schemes and ideas of what I'd like to do to make this bird as light as practical.

One of many paint schemes I've been cooking up.

Decisions, Decisions...

Everything has been going swell after my latest surgery.  I hope to be back flying here soon.  I seem to have more mobility now that the pins are out of my right ankle.  Makes me want to have them removed from my left one now!  Time will tell...

I've had a lot of time once again to think about my future cub.  Also have bounced a bunch of ideas off of friends.  I think I'm going to try and buy a new fuselage.  This will prolong my rebuild, but I think in the end it will be better.  There are so many unknowns with a used fuselage.  The fuselage I bought back in July has some corrosion issues, that can be rectified, but its still an unknown.  I plan on having my current fuselage repaired, and in the meantime I will try and save up for a new one.  If I don't have the funds for a new one by the time I'm ready to start with fuselage work, I'll use the used one.

That being said, I'm changing my direction on the build again.  I'm going to start with the wings once I finish the engine section.  I plan on keeping the wings as stock as possible.  I originally had the 13 rib wings with 18 gallon fuel tanks.  I'm going to keep this configuration.  I'm going to install the 2000 pound gross weight increase this go around.  Also put the VGs on.  I plan on installing the VGs before I'm complete with laying down all my tapes.  This way I can put a reinforcing tape over the VGs to help adhere them to the wing when wing covers are installed on the wings in the winter.  A friend had this done on his PA-12, and hasn't had a VG come off yet.  I have the ailerons and flaps completed already, so very little work needs to go into them at this point.

I hope these are my final plans.  I'm going to try and stick to them now after careful thought.  We will see I guess.

Under the Knife

Well, I went in to the doctor's office last friday.  They took x-rays as usual, and found that one of the screws in my right ankle was rubbing against my heel bone.  So, surgery round #3.  I went in this morning and they removed both screws in the right ankle.  I can put weight on the ankle, but its still somewhat sore. Hopefully, I'll be able to go back to work for the next shift.  I also hope this is the last time I need surgery.  I can't afford to have any more surgeries, and still try and put the cub together.

Progress is going slow on the cub.  Still putting together the baffling, but the engine section should be together by the end of the month.  Once I have the engine all together, I'll bring it over to  Merrill Field and try and run it at the local engine shop.  I want to make sure it will run, and also pickle the engine for storage.  Seeing as it might take me a year or two at my current pace, I want to make sure this engine won't corrode in the mean time.

Lately I've been thinking how lucky I came out with this whole accident.  I'm still in debt with medical bills and what not, but I'm lucky to be alive.  This year is just as rough as it was last year for accidents and deaths.  Aviation is loosing a lot of good people, and I still ask myself why God spared me.  Also, why he healed me so quickly so I could go back to work and fly.  I think I'll never know, but I thank him.

Baffeled

Last Friday I had a chance to work on the cub a bit.  Felt good to get back at it.  I have decided I need to finish the engine section up first before I start on the fuselage.  One thing at a time.  Also, the engine is the most critical right now because I want to get it pickled before it starts to rust on the inside.

When I got the engine home in May, I tore it down and did the prop strike inspection.  Also, tore apart the old baffeling and flattened them for patterns.  Friday, I traced a few pieces and cut them out.  Took a bit longer than I had hoped, required a bit more trimming to get them to fit better than before, but I got a good chunk of the baffeling completed.  Hopefully I'll have a bit more time this week to finish the project up.  After the baffeling, I plan on installing the oil cooler, engine mount, carburetor, and air/oil separator.  I'll post more pictures as I progress.

A piece of baffeling in remodel mode.

I'm in search of a second job with all my off time.  (Free time was a joke, I have none.)  Hoping to find a second flying job that I can fill in for someone or something.  Don't really want to go back to the Guard, actually thinking about getting out to further my flying career.  Also, the pay is not the greatest since I'm not full time anymore.  I can make more doing side jobs, unfortunately, than I can at what is supposed to be one of the best jobs our government has to offer in the flying career field.  Time will tell where I go...

All over the Board

I've been busy the past few weeks.  Wish I could say its been on the cub project, but I'd be lying then.  After I was done with my shift at Era Alaska on July 15th,  I was asked to ferry a cub from Anchorage to Medford, Oregon.  Hard to say no.

It was a fun and safe journey through some of the best country in the World.  Also, it was redemption.  I was pretty nervous about the trip, as I very well should of been.  The last real long cross country trip I took was when I wrecked my cub.  I was accompanied with a good childhood friend, Brent Shibe.  We both took turns flying at a grueling pace of 75mph.  The good part about this cub, it had 8 hours of fuel on board.  this made it nice, because we didn't have to make nearly as many fuel stops.  The only thing that limited the amount of time we spent int he plane was our bladders.  We made it in pretty good time to Medford, 27 hours.

Along the way on our trip, I got to see my "Alaskan" grandparents in Wenatchee, Wa.  It was so good to see Howard and Janet Pelton.  Also made me feel proud to fly into Wenatchee to see them.  As I guessed, Howard was at the airport to watch us land, and as usual, I bounced on landing.  Its pretty tough landing a cub on pavement with a set of worn out bush wheels.

All in all, it was an excellent trip with awesome weather.  Makes me wish my cub was further along than it is currently.  I'll post some pictures later on.

Letting the Imagination run Wild

Today, I've been doing a lot of research on tools I'd like to buy to help with my rebuild.  Also been trying to find the cheapest place to buy the best tools.  I'm going to end up getting a bead roller with an 18" throat.  This tool will help tremendously with my interior pieces and my cargo doors.  I want to add some strength in the thinner kydex I plan on using for my interior, so the beaded roller will add a bead to the panels for rigidity and a bit more style.  I know the interior is a ways out yet, but I want to order the beaded roller and practice before I order my interior kydex and mess a $150 sheet up.

I've also been looking at some forums online, about building interior panels out of kydex for aircraft.  I've come up with some pretty cool ideas to try that will hide the pulleys for my flap cables and possibly my aileron and elevator cables.  Anything to add a bit more style in the plane, and minimal weight is worth a shot to me.  I'll be cutting some patterns out of wood and then heat treating the kydex.  I plan on taking a ton of pictures of this so I can share how to do this type of stuff with people.  Also, so I can possibly pick up a bit of side work once I have my project completed.

I have Monday and Tuesday off.  I plan on being at the sandblasters first thing tomorrow morning to finish up my fuselage and a bit of work he might have set aside for me to do.  I hope to be at the welders by July 15th, and start with the modifications and the fixes my new fuselage requires.  Every time I think about this, I get excited.  I hope the fuselage comes out as pretty as I envision it.  If so, 29A is going to be one sexy plane.

My fuselage in the sandblasting booth. 

After the welders, I'm going to bring the fuselage to Lake Hood to start with the interior, panel, boot cowl and cheeks, cargo doors, and windows.  Pretty much whatever I can do before I bring the fuselage back to the powder coaters.

Busy Times

One word sums up my life right now... busy.  I'm flying the Beech 1900 out of Anchorage for 15 days this month.  I thought it might be a bit more relaxing than flying out of Barrow, but it is polar opposite.  I'm averaging about 7 hours a day of flying lately.  I'm not complaining, but wow... 50 hours in a few days.  If this keeps up, the cub will be financially covered.  I'm enjoying the flying.  Its challenging and I'm getting to see most of Alaska from a safe altitude.  My instrument skills are being sculpted to perfection.  I also enjoy flying with my Captain.  He's teaching me a lot about flying, and about life.

I had a semi-slow day Tuesday, flew 4.7 hours and was done by about noon, so I hoped over to the sandblasters and worked on my fuselage for awhile.  I ended up getting about 70% of the fuselage blasted.  I hope to finish the rest up tomorrow.  While blasting I've found some tubing that will need to be replaced.  For the price I paid, I expected this.  But there is not as much tubing as I thought that needs to be replaced.

I'm going to replace both longerons from the tail post forward for about 8 feet.  They both aren't bad, but I figure while I've got it this far apart, it needs the attention.  Also, I have a cross member on the belly near the float fittings that shows signs of some pretty good corrosion,  This will also get replaced.  I've got some fabric formers that are in pretty rough shape, and I figure I'm going to replace these as well.  All the gingerbread about the roof is going to be replaced with new, just because with the L-21 glass conversion it will be more exposed and I want it to look better.  Also replacing most of the gingerbread for the boot cowl.  Around the door I'm going to try and fill in most the holes people have drilled in the past to secure the interior.  Of course, the welder has the final say in all these items I'd like to redo.

My posts will probably be spaced a bit farther apart since I'm back working, but I'll try to update every time I work on the plane.  Also have a bunch of pictures I'll post of the blasting and of flying in western Alaska.

A Wake Up Call

I got woke up this morning by the a phone call from my friend at the powder coater.  He told me that I could come in and sandblast my fuselage myself if I wanted to save some money.  I jumped out of bed and headed right over.  He had me finish up some of his projects before we rolled my fuselage in.  I now have a whole new respect for the guys at the powder coating shop... this is tedious work.  It takes forever to just clean a section and it is extremely messy.

I got most of the tail sandblasted, and some of the front done.  I wanted to blast the tail to see exactly how much I would need to repair in a few weeks.  The left longeron has a few holes in about the last 6 feet of tubing.  The great part is, there is a tubing splice at about the 7 foot mark, so I'll just cut this tube out on both sides and have them replaced.  Better to do both now, rather than one now, and another one in about 5 years when the plane is recovered.  I knew when I got the deal I got on the fuselage, that there would be some repairs required.  So far, so good though.

I plan on going in tomorrow morning early and finishing up blasting the fuselage.  Then I plan on taking it to Lake Hood where I'll build some floorboards and start with some of the interior.  I have a date at the welder's of July 15, and I don't want to waste any time.

Fuselage Time

Today I picked up my "new" fuselage.  Was super excited to get a huge piece of the cub.  It's used, but in pretty good condition.  I brought it home and removed the remaining pieces.  I dropped it off this afternoon at the sand blasting shop to get blasted so I can inspect it further and prepare it for modifications I''d like to do.  I called around to different shops today about modifying the fuselage the way I'd like it.  Most shops would not let me assist in helping, but Dan's Aircraft was very reasonable and said that they'd let me assist the welder.  This will cut the cost down substantially and also allow me to keep tabs on the progress.  I plan on bringing it by about the 15th of July.

I'm planning on rebuilding the fuselage first now.  Once the fuselage is done at the sand blasters, I'll have all my mods installed.  Then I plan on starting with the interior.  I'm going by Plaschem tomorrow to discuss with a fellow the use of carbon fiber with my rebuild.  One the phone last week he told me he has floor boards, rear seat and storage bin under the seat, and a lower extended baggage that just drops right in the fuselage.  With these mods he said I'd save around 20lbs on the average rebuild.  I like hearing this.  We will see tomorrow.

My "newish" fuselage.  Lots of new adventures planned with this thing!

The 180lb/3rd Seat Mod.  Being previously installed, this saved me lots of money.

The X Brace over the roof.  Another mod previously installed that might save my life again, and also saved me tons of money.

This is the only area that will require a bit of attention.  The left hand longeron has a slight bend in it and I want to change the X Brace back here.  Rather than being boxed in, if we X the tail, it seems to withstand the beating the tails get on these birds.

I flew again on Monday with Era Alaska.  It was a heck of a day... 9.5 hours behind the yoke of the 1900.  This is good, because we all know I could use the money for my rebuild project.  I got to visit Barrow on one of our legs.  It was good to see all my friends up there, and believe it or not, I missed that place!  Sure feels good to be based in Anchorage for awhile though.  The trip from Barrow back to Anchorage in the 1900 was 3 hours long!

Time's Flying

As stated in the title of this post... time's been flying.  It's been 6 weeks since the accident, and I can't tell you how much my life has changed.  Some for worse, but mostly for the better.  Still stiff some mornings, but for the most part I'm thankful I get a second chance at life.  God has been good to me.  He has let me go back to work, he's let me continue to fly, and most of all he's introduced me new friends.

I went back to work for Era Alaska yesterday.  I got lucky, I was called mid week last week and asked if I'd like to work out of Anchorage.  You don't have to twist my arm... no commute to work, and I get to sleep in my own bed every night.  I will miss working out of Barrow, and hope to get to work up there again, but right now with physical therapy and still working with the FAA, it's nice to be close.  It felt so good to hop in the Beech 1900 and blast out of Anchorage.  The 1900 I'll be flying out of Anchorage is strictly freight; no passengers.  We went to Aniak, then onto St. Mary's with a very full plane load of supplies for the villages and outlaying villages.  I got the leg home, and was impressed with myself... I picked right up where I left off with call outs and procedures, even greased the landing back here in Anchorage.  I'm looking forward to flying the Beech more this week.

I made a big purchase on Friday... bought a "new to me" fuselage.  Looks like the direction of my project will shift a bit, but all that truly matters is we are making headway.  So far, it seems like it'll be a worthwhile fuselage.  Has quite a few mods I wanted to do, but of course, I want to do a few more.  I plan on picking it up Tuesday, and bringing it to a place to get it sandblasted so I can do a good inspection and figure out if we need to do some repairs.  Once its out of the sandblasters, I'll find someone to weld the mods I'd like then I'll bring it back to Lake Hood and start building some floor boards, interior pieces, etc.  After I get all that done it'll go off to the powder coater for a final finish.

I made a new panel for 29A.  I made it out of lexan, so I can install the gauges and see if they'll rub against the fuselage or anything else.  Super excited to cut this all out and see how it looks.  It is the same size as my old panel, but I changed a few things up.

I ended up getting a call from a friend tonight wondering if I could go help another friend.  I got to borrow a cub and fly out about 15 minutes from town and replace a piece of exhaust on a cub with a piece of mine. The fellow who owned the cub was super impressed how quickly I got out there and how quickly we changed the part.  He wondered how he could repay me, and told him its all about karma.  I've had many different people help me over my career, and when given the chance to help I need to as well.  I also need to build up that good karma bank, as I'm sure I'll need help again some day.

On my way across the inlet for tonight's rescue mission.

Making Noise

The past few days I've been extremely busy.  I finished up on the prop strike AD on the motor for 29A.  Seems to check out just fine.  VERY exciting news, as it only cost me about $20 for the parts.  The engine is now put back together in the hangar and I'm working on rebuilding the baffling.  Its going to fit a lot better the second time, as I have an infinite amount of time to fix it.  My goal is to have the engine together for hunting season, that way if a friend needs to borrow the engine to keep up with their schedule, it will be ready and waiting.  I have an engine mount that I'm going to dig out of the shed and install after I get the baffling figured out.  Going to have to start putting some money at her now.  I need to buy an oil cooler, valve cover (which I'm currently bidding on on eBay), mag harnesses, and an air box.  About close to $1000 worth of goodies.

With the need of money, and having no money, sounds like I need to go back to work.  I let Era Alaska know that I'm fit for flight, and they were extremely happy to put me back to work.  I start work this upcoming weekend, then I have a few days off, but then I start up again the 1st of July and continue work until the 15th.  The best part is, I won't have to travel very far this time, unlike the commute to Barrow.  I'm being based out of Anchorage in the company's straight freight (no crabby passengers) Beech 1900C.  Hearing this brought a smile to my face.  I will miss Barrow, but being based at home I can continue to goto school this fall, and most of all, work on the cub!

I passed my 135 check ride on Monday in the Beaver.  It was very last minute, but everything went well.  I had two FAA examiners on board.  One was getting checked out in the Beaver so they were just along for the ride.  Both very nice people and surprised with my ability to man-handle such a beastly machine. I was all smiles the entire flight.

My plans for the near future on the cub are to finish the engine section up, then start with fabricating a new panel.  I'm going to build it out of plexiglass first, and install all the gauges.  My idea behind this is to see if everything fits where I'd like it to go.  I also found a fuselage that I deem worthy of using.  I plan on trying to grab it in the next day or two and bring it to the sandblaster to get it sandblasted and figure out which tubes need to be repaired/replaced.  Once done there, I'll bring it to the welder and have the mods installed that I want.  I think I might change my course, instead of starting with the wings, I'll build up the fuselage first.  Going to cost more, but in the long run, I'll have something to sit in and make airplane noises!

A Week of New Hope

This past week has been one of the best weeks I've had in awhile.  On Monday, I went out and flew the cub for the first time since the accident.  Felt so good.  Yesterday I flew the Beaver in preparation for my 135 Checkride.  It was amazing being back behind the power of a sexy beast!  When I advanced the throttle and heard her sexy growl, it sent goose bumps down my entire body.  I forgot how much fun the Beaver really was.  A bit more going on then the Cub, but its just a bigger Cub.  I look forward to flying her again soon.  Maybe tomorrow?

Taxiing in after a fun day of learning in the Beaver.  Every time I look at this picture, I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm still alive.  I'm truly a spoiled young man getting to fly such a sexy plane.

Today I went in to the medical examiner to make sure I wasn't exceeding my own capabilities.  She gave me the big thumbs up, so I hope to go back to work soon.

I also made progress with the cub in the last couple days.  Finished my left aileron, so I now have all the control surfaces ready for cover.  Exciting!  I also brought the engine to the lake.  Tore into it for the prop strike.  So far it looks like the engine is getting a clean bill of health.  Had to buy a bolt for the back of the crankshaft, as per the instructions for a prop strike.  Amazing what really holds this little engines together and how much power something so small can put out.  I plan on having the heart of my beast back together this week, maybe Wednesday?  Then I have to start rebuilding the baffling and reassembling what I can of the engine.  I want to get it put together just incase someone needs it for hunting season.  Also so all I have to do is bolt it on the new frame and connect a few cables and wires when that time comes.

It just feels good to be going forward on her again.  I'm sure it's a year or more out, but I keep reminding myself that I truly am blessed I get a second chance to rebuild her.  Not just a second chance for my plane, but a second chance at life.  I've noticed a huge difference in my judgment and my flying.  I just hope to keep this up, and if I start to veer of course I'll remind myself of what happened last time.

Both ailerons completed, ready for covering.

The "heart" of 29A, minus her oil pan and accessory case.

The gears that make her work.  The center small gear is the crankshaft gear and the bolt in the center is what has to be replaced.  The other gears touching the crankshaft gear drive the magnetos, and the top gear is attached to the camshaft.  Super simple huh?

Time to Turn

I've been busy the past few days.  Flew for the first time since the accident on Monday.  In a cub none the less.  I really don't recall my "short landing" so flying came second nature.  Wasn't really scared but I flew with a friend, Steve, just in case, and he has a plane for rent.  Using my left leg for step turns hurt periodically, but the fun of flying out weighed the pain.  Only a few little things Steve found that he didn't like, but nothing that jumped right out and told him I was unsafe to fly.  I really enjoy being back in the saddle.  I'll start flying the beaver tomorrow, preparing for a check ride in the near future.  Look out... the skies are not friendly once again!

I haven't got as much done on the cub as I wanted but the left aileron is nearing completion.  The trailing edge is installed and most of the leading edge is installed.  I should have it done tomorrow.  Once this is done, I'll start tearing into the engine to take care of the prop strike inspection.  Looking forward to this.  I'm trying to get all the items that require very little money, but lots of time done before I head back to work.  I hope to work as much as I can during the summer, and then I'll start rebuilding the wings early this fall.  Have to save up, but if I can save enough the new and improved 29A should turn heads once again.

Progress

Making progress... slowly.  Bought a spar last week for my left aileron.  Brought my jig out of hibernation (under the shed) and set it up at the lake.  Got quite a bit of work done on the aileron Friday.  All the attach points are set, now its just adding the ribs and leading edge pieces.  Hope to have it done Monday or Tuesday.

My Aileron Jig and ailerons.

Been doing a lot of research into lightning the plane up.  My goal is 1100lbs empty weight.  Before the accident, she weighed in at 1156lbs.  Not sure how I'm going to loose 56lbs, but I'm going to shed it, ounce by ounce.  Thinking about using carbon fiber in places where heavier aluminum has been used in the past.  Also learning how the process of using carbon fiber fabric works.  Sounds like its a lot like fiber glass, but instead of using layers and layers of fiber glass, you only need 1 or 2 layers of carbon fiber.  To be continued...

My ankles are doing good.  I went to the doctor on Friday with hopes of being in a walking cast.  No such luck, but I got back in a week.  I hope to be ready to go back to work July 1.  I've been walking around the house without my braces on, making baby steps.  Physical therapy is going well also.  They think I should be up to speed by July 1 also.  Time will tell.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

It's been a busy week so far.  Haven't worked on the cub much.  More of myself.  Lots of doctor's appointments, trying to get back in the air.  My ankles are doing well.  My range of motion is getting better every day.  Hope to be back in the air within a few weeks.

I've got the left aileron torn down.  Bought a new spar today and some brackets for the flaps.  Finally got them finished and in the shed.  Hope to get up early and work on the aileron tomorrow, maybe even finish it.  I'd be way excited to finish all the control surfaces.  All I'd have to do is get my rudder fixed and then I'm ready to cover them.  Maybe this weekend I'll start covering, or maybe I'll try my luck with fishing.  Who knows...

She Turns to the Right a bit...

Had a busy day yesterday with doctor's appointments.  Didn't get much done on the cub, but did seen to straighten and finish the right hand aileron.  This means I have one more control surface to tackle, the left hand aileron.  THe left one is by far the worst out of all my control surfaces.  I have to completely strip this aileron of its ribs and leading edges due to the spar being bent.  The best part is, the spar can not be spliced where it is damaged... this means I get to buy a new one.  Not bad though, one donor aileron, and I'll only have $98 into repairing all the flaps and ailerons, versus around $700 worth of parts if I were to buy all new parts.  Very thankful for the free things I've gotten.

Plan on going out to the lake tomorrow to see if the hangar is open to tear down the left aileron.  Also, start removing usable parts from my cowlings and tank covers.  This week I want to build up a set of floorboards out of 0.040" Aluminum and also an instrument panel.  I know, I don't have a fuselage yet, but if I rough cut these, it'll make me feel like I'm making progress.  Also, going to bring the engine over to the lake and continue the prop strike AD that is required to be done.  Then the following week build up some baffeling.  Let's see if I can keep this schedule.  Below are some pictures of the progress made.

This is the right flap... forgot I had to repair the spar with a doubler the last time.  Good thing it didn't get bent this time.

One seriously bend left aileron.  Hard to tell in the picture but it bends about twenty degrees up were it's dinted int eh center.

Fixed right aileron, ready to cover and fly.

Flapped... Now Ailerons

Finished the Flaps today. They look perfect!  Actually, I have two brackets to install on them in the morning, then they are complete.  Feels good to get something back together on the little lady.  I'm starting into the ailerons hopefully in the morning.  I have one with minor damage and the other with quite a bit of damage.  Have to replace the spar on the right one I believe.  I dug out my jig from the last time I rebuilt them.  Can't wait... not.  This will be an all day ordeal, maybe two.

This afternoon I went to my friend Scott's house to help with his cub wings.  He pulled the old fabric off early this spring and has been working on his wings when he has time.  He was installing leading edges today.  Got me excited.  I can't wait until I have all the wing parts required to get mine back together.  Maybe in a month or two.

Flappin Away

Almost finished the left hand flap today.  All I need to do is install a piece of trailing edge from the donor aileron tomorrow.  Feels good to be productive.  It might of been a small thing, but its progress.  Also tore down the right flap and forgot about a surprise I had to fix the last time.  The first time I rebuilt this plane, the only control surface that I had that was good was the left flap.  The right flap made contact with the fuselage when it was wrecked previously and I had to put a doubler on the end.  This time, no need for a doubler, just a fix to the end rib and brace.  But since I'm kicking the flaps out another four inches ( extend the flaps so I have less wing root to build) I needed to remove the doubler and install another one that was longer.

Also got up earlier this morning to see a few friends off to Afghanistan.  They will be there only a short while, three months, but keep them in the back of your mind.  It was sure nice to get out and say bye before they left and let them know how well I'm healing.  Also thanked them for keeping the C-130s working, because no matter how much I love flying planes, it really comes down to the maintainers who do the most rewarding work.

Went to physical therapy as well.  Things are progressing right along.  Hope to be back to walking unassisted by the end of the week.  Might be a stretch, but I sure miss flying.  Its like putting salt in the wound every day I spend out at Lake Hood, but as long as I make progress on the cub I'll survive.

Tear Down Begins

Tore apart my donor aileron today.  What a gold mine of parts!  I also tore apart the left flap.  Only the bent areas I should say.  I cut a piece of the donor aileron's spar in hopes to do a spar splice, but it didn't work out.  Tomorrow I'll bend up a spar doubler and splice in a new section of spar for the additional four inches of flap required for the flap to be extended inboard when I get my new fuselage.  Progress made me feel good about the project.  Its so far from being done again, but still brought a smile to my face.  I wish it were someone else's cub I was fixing, but I believe God is teaching me a few lessons through this.  I think the biggest lesson is patience.  The next lesson is how lucky and privileged I am to be able to fly.  Tomorrow will be another good day, hopefully completing both flaps so I can move onto an aileron or even the floor boards.

Here's the donor aileron being torn down.

Left hand flap damage.  Wasn't hit too bad, but I'm removing the damaged parts and extending it inboard four inches.

This is what 29A might look like the next time around.  So far, everyone likes this out of the many concepts drawn.  Thanks Ian for another great concept... now if he'll just help with all the taping and painting!

A Day at the Lake

Spent the day at the lake today.  Went through a bunch of hangars looking at other people's wrecked parts and what I could use to help put the cub together.  Felt like a scavenger, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.  Stumbled into some aileron parts and a possible lead on some used exhaust.  Felt good to be out on my legs today.  A little swollen tonight, but nothing a beer can't cure!

I hope to wake up early tomorrow and start working on tearing apart my donor aileron and replacing bent/broken parts on my flaps.  Also, time permitting, hope to start building a map pocket or floor boards.  I found that I had some spare aluminum from the last rebuild still hiding at the lake.  I'll post pictures of my progress tomorrow evening.  Hope to have two flaps ready for cover!

Below is one of the last pictures I took of 29A in one piece.  I sure miss her.

New light and new beginnings

As many of you know I had an accident on May 6, 2011.  It has changed the way I look at life every day.  I was very fortunate to get out as well as I did.  I'll post pictures at a later date of how close I really got.  As I was told as a young child, "You never realize how lucky you have it, until it's all gone," I now realize how much I really miss my cub.

I'm building a blog so the world can watch me rebuild her, yet again.  I'm looking for comments and hints as I go.  Also looking for motivation... its tough to do after I just got done rebuilding her less than half a year ago.  I plan on updating this blog every day I work on the plane.  For now, "Lady Alpha" is sitting in pieces in my shed, and my dad's garage.  He's going to be thrilled to see it back in his garage yet again.  I've tore her old skin off the damaged ailerons and flaps and started using a donor aileron a new friend donated to me to rebuild both flaps and an aileron.

Another thing I learned as a young child, "Something good always comes from something bad."  I think this crash will make me a better pilot once I'm able to get back "in the saddle."  My ankles are healing quite nicely, and hip is giving me very little feedback these days.  I'm hoping with physical therapy and spending time out at Lake Hood when I can, to be back flying by the middle of June.  I also have met a few new friends out of this crash.

While Tommy, my brother, was down dismantling the cub, two guys landed on the beach and offered to help him.  They stayed with Tommy for 3 days and helped fly pieces out and dismantle the cub and eventually flew him out.  I owe these guys greatly and they have been very fun to talk with.  Jerry, one of the fellows, also owns a few cubs and a Cessna 185.  He dropped off some spare parts from his collection to help me with my rebuild process.  I owe him big time.  I hope to help him this fall with some hunting trips he has planned.  Jerry's brother Trace was also there to help with my wreck on the beach.  He's new to Alaska and seems to enjoy all these adventures his brother has been bringing him on.

Back to the main purpose of this blog, the cub.  I've dug through the shed this weekend to figure out what I have and what I'll need.  Tommy did a good job tearing Lady Alpha apart, don't let him know this though, I don't want it going to his head.  He saved me quite a bit of money on all the little parts and what not.  I originally figured I'd be spending in neighborhood of $8000 to put the wings back together, but now with an accurate list of parts I have, I'm in the neighborhood $5500, minus a few mods I want to do to improve her the second go around.  My goal is to have the wings and the control surfaces together minus their finishing coat of paint by January 2012.  I think this is a fairly achievable goal with work and all.  I'll post pictures tomorrow of what I'm dealing with.