Weeks 9 and 10: The Conclusion

Hello all,

Since this post is so late and I won't have any time between work and going to Oshkosh this year, I've combined last week and this week into the same post.

This first picture shows the new cargo pod for the 206!  It's used for, well, cargo.  In this picture, there's a jack under it holding it to the airplane so that we can line it up and drill holes to attach it.  The new cargo pods are a huge improvement over the old metal ones!  The old pods used to weigh a couple hundred pounds, while the new ones weigh 35 pounds!

We started on the pod last week, and we hope to have it finished by the end of this week.  It will be close to finished by then, at the very least.

"The Pod" also led to much jesting around our work area.  We created our own dramatic sci-fi movie, yelling classic, timeless lines:
Captain: "Stabilize The Pod!"
Crewman: "I can't hold it!"
Crewman 2: "They're breaking through!"
Captain: "Release The Pod!"

My first task on The Pod was to modify the panels under the nose so that they would be removable after being partially covered by The Pod.  I cut them 8.75 inches from the forward end:

And attached a doubler with nut plates to connect the two pieces back to each other non-permanently:

It was a fun project because it was something I felt qualified and confident in doing by myself, freeing Paul to work on other parts of the project.

However, the next task I tackled has taken a ridiculous amount of time...

I was supposed to attach the exhaust pipe extension:            (see it just behind the nosewheel?)

It's a simple piece of stainless steel that directs the exhaust further down and away from The Pod to avoid melting it.

Here we enter the mind of poor William as he works through this task.

RED FLAG #1: "That doesn't sound too hard."
GREEN FLAG #1: "But I bet it will take a long time anyway.  I should read the directions first."
GREEN FLAG #2: "The directions say drill holes through the extension and the exhaust pipe, then just put screws in them and you're done!  Awesome."
RED FLAG #2: "Wait, hold on, there's a 'NOTE' here."
RED FLAG #3: "'Must have a snug fit.'  Hmm.  I wonder how snug..."
RED FLAG #4:  "'Modification of the exhaust pipe may be necessary.'  That doesn't sound fun."

::3 days later::

GREEN FLAG #3: "Yea verily!  The third clamp I have fashioned with mine own two hands obtaineth success!"
RED FLAG #5,336: "Oh, I heard that stainless is difficult to drill through.  Let's give it a try."

::4 hours later::

GREEN FLAG #4: "Whew.  Now there are four holes for four screws!"
RED FLAG #5,350: "That doesn't sound too hard."

Sadly, William discovered that stainless is harder than the screws he was given.  Driving them into the holes merely marred the screw threads.

There really is something fun about that process in maintenance though.  Being forced to work through problems really teaches us patience and endurance.

As this is my final post, I will include some conclusions from this summer here.

I've really been challenged by living by myself in the house I'm renting from MMS.  I'm apparently a HUGE people person, and need to be around people.  I eventually got it figured out, but it was a painful experience.  It was a good experience too.  I learned a lot about myself, and God taught me how to rely on Him more.
Working at MMS was fun and challenging!  I was stretched to the limits of what I could do with my skill level, which is always stressful.  Paul did a great job of teaching me about flying, maintenance, and how to relate to people.

While we were working one day, Paul asked,
"Will?  Did you know you would be working on a missionary plane that will be carrying sick people to hospitals in Guatemala?"
He continued on to tell me more about his organization.  He will be their only pilot, their only mechanic, and he's working right now to prepare their only airplane for service.  In case that sounds like a small task, there are no usable airstrips in the area he is going to serve.  There are a number of disused airstrips that he must find and renovate them enough to land on.
He is putting forth great effort to serve.
The other day he heard about a village.  The village heard that Paul was going to come to the area.  In response, they pooled all their money and started building a new airstrip, just so he could come to them.  The plane we're working on.  The man I'm working with.  They are so excited that he personally is coming, that they're throwing everything they have at the opportunity!  They want what he has!  What a great opportunity for Christ to work through us, through aircraft!

That story really brought purpose to my summer and energized me.

Thanks again for all your support!  You make it happen for those villagers!

God is good.
William





PS:  I found a bee thing.

Week Eight - The Finished Projects

This week Paul was back, so we moved on with the Cessna 206 project.

We managed to complete the nosewheel servicing and reattaching to check that project off the list!  We also got the abrasion boots fully secured at the end of the day on Friday.

Abrasion boots are made to protect the leading edge of the tail from rocks and gravel, etc. that can be kicked up into it.  They help prevent major dents and dings that would require repair.
The whole process was very stressful, since neither one of us had done it before, so we had to figure out the best way to do it WHILE we were doing it.  Kinda difficult, because once you stick the boot on, it won't come off at all.  That glue is really meaningful stuff.

We also got the plane ready to rivet the rear windows back in and to paint that section afterwards:

Colorful tape!

The highlight of the week was when my parents flew in to visit on Friday!  I was really excited to show them around the place and to get to spend some time with them.  They left last night, and I sat on the taxiway staring after them as they went.  I love my family so much.

I have two more weeks here, then I'll be done with my internship and head back to Indianapolis for a little bit, then right back to school.  It's gone by really fast.  I feel that I'm just now getting everything figured out, just in time to leave and head back.  Frustrating, but I'm also looking forward to how God will use me wherever I'm sent.

Will

~ Bonus picture:

Week Seven - The Landlubbers

This one is late because I was on vacation for the Fourth of July, okay?  You guys just won't leave me alone about getting these done on time, will you?  ;)
It was a great weekend.  I'm relatively unapologetic about putting off this blog post.

Last week was an abnormal week for me, but fun!  Paul went to help out with a camp for Brigade Air (www.brigadeair.org).  They're an organization that offers camps for teenagers who are interested in missionary aviation.  Paul brought back great news about a camper who was not a Christian, but acknowledges that he feels a hole in his life.  He's working through his doubts and headed toward commitment to Christ!
All that to say that Paul was gone.  Since the other two projects are well-staffed, I was assigned to building maintenance.  I got to work with Terry quite a bit throughout the week.  He's a good teacher, letting me make quite a few mistakes and making me fix them!  We were very productive nonetheless, and now both vans are up and running again!  One of them had been down for months, and the other for a few weeks, both for brake problems.  This one:

would not stop.  The emergency brake was your best bet for not ramming the back ends of the people driving in front of you when they stop.  Upon some extremely cursory investigation, we found that it was violently spraying brake fluid out of a hole in the steel brake line.  Ironically, a hole had been worn into the line by one of the clips that held it to the underbody.  Those clips are intended to prevent chafing that could cause a hole in the line...hmmm....
After some phone calls, we decided to buy some steel tubing and fabricate a new brake line by bending it to the right shape.  I messed up the bending.  Four times.  But I also learned that you can unbend and re-bend steel tubing at least once without compromising its integrity.
To make a long story short, that van's brakes now work fine!
Now as for this van:

its left front brake was failing to release, causing the van to veer sharply into oncoming traffic whenever you let go of the steering wheel.  Obviously no big deal.

This is a picture of the brake on the front left side after we removed the wheel to get access.  When we took it apart, the problems were fairly readily apparent.  The anti-vibration clips (You can just barely see them in the picture.  If I was thinking I would've gotten a better picture of them.) were installed backwards, causing the clip to rub on the brake disc.  It eventually bent the bottom clip enough to make it interfere with the brake pad, trapping it against the disc.  The caliper ended up being bad too, so we replaced that with an overhauled one.  It works now, too!

Once we finished that, I mowed the lawn and weedeated with an old weedeater that only barely runs.  It was fun and challenging!  The next day, we got a new (read: used) mower which Dave Shelly named "Guido."  I'll let you figure out why.  Here's a pic of it:

and a pic of "Guido" from Cars (friend of "Mater," see previous post):

We changed out all the fluids in it: oil, hydrostatic transmission fluid, coolant.  Changed the fuel, oil, and hydrostatic transmission filters, bled the fuel lines, switched the mower blades for sharpened ones, and greased all the proper grease fittings, all in one day!  That mower was very well designed for maintenance.  I was greatly impressed.

So not much aircraft maintenance last week, but I was able to help out with things that Dave wouldn't have had time to do without me.  I thank you all for giving me the opportunity to help the people out here.  I have enjoyed doing whatever I can to help make their lives easier.

Will

~ Cars 2 is out now, but I haven't seen it yet.  I assume Guido is in it.