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.