I havent been keeping this blog up to date as I've been real busy trying to launch Motion Simulations. We spent July 4th test flying the Mooney after this years annual. I made an arrangement with our mechanic (and he with his employer) to exchange flight instruction to the completion of the private pilot license for N7458V's annual. The Mooney's annual usually runs between $4000 and $6000 with labor coming in the past three years at 44 hours.
The problem this year was the right fuel tank was leaking more than it typically has in the past so prior to the annual I asked Steve about the possibility of doing a strip and reseal.
I specifically requested that we use a product called PolyGone 300 to remove the old polycarbonate sealant that has een amassing inside 58V for her 35 years. When I had asked I was debating selling 58V and purchasing a 94 M20J. I also was planning the sim business and knew I would be at the airport so I requested that I do the stripping portion of the work to save on labor.
We the time I had allotted to do this went by and soon the annual was knocking on the door. Steve decided that the right tank needed to be sealed for the airplane to be airworthy so we started the process. Well the plane was fine aside from needing a tire and having the exhaust stack rebuilt and a bracet to hold it welded. But the TANK!....
It took two weeks of nights and weekends to strip one bay of the right tank.Finally Steve said he's have to bring it into the shop to seal it if I didnt want him to finish after his vacation he was leaving on for a week.
Anyway Judy an I awoke on the 4th and decided to fly up to Westfield/Barnes to top off 58V with some $3.90 a gallon 100LL. The tank has been done for over a week and has been leak free so when the line guy aksed me how much I said 'top it'
I went to fly with someone this morning and the tank was holding the fuel without any of the tell tale staining I've grown accustomed to in the 10 years I've flown and cared for her.
Hope springs eternal.
On another note as we were driving to the airport for our fuel run we stopped at the Pancake Breakfast the local boy scouts were putting on at the new fairfield senior center. It was $12 for the two of us and the pancakes and sausages came with orange juice coffee or tea. As we were eating the scoutmaster comes up to me and Judy and says ' you're the couple who walks on pine hill road every day. We say 'that's us and he tells us he lives up the street a few houses, that he's one of the people who waves to us in the mornings while we're walking. I asked him about the aviation merit badge offering and whether there were any scouts who were woring towards it. Long and short we offered the use of the Motion Simulaitons facility and simulator to teach the ground school and provide the experience required for the badge. I gave him my card and asked him to have someone reach out to Judy or myself so we can get the next generation of pilots started.
Our second mailing showed up at my my house the other day and with the revisions that Eric put in we had a very legible card with Guido's hi res imagery. It went out to 3200 pilots with medicals in the area and I'm hoping we capture the 1% return people say you get from direct mail. That would be 32 new customers and if we can get that business we'll be closer to hiring another instructor, someone full time. That would be sweet. I'm tired of working 6 days a week.
90 degree's on the deck at the house at 8:54pm EDT Sun is setting behind the tree's and I'm debating going in the pool again or sitting inside in the air conditioning.
Cheers
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