Oshkosh bound???

[Andy Gelston]

I thought it might be prudent to perform an annual inspection on 41VermonT yesterday, before heading west to the big EAA convention.  Weather forecasts said we could make it in one day, today only, with tailwinds the whole way, courtesy of a big high over Michigan.  But I discovered a loose piece of 1/4” plywood that is the main structural part of the inboard hinge in the starboard aileron.  The old glue joints had failed, but I was able to effect the repair and get everything cleaned up and glued back in place, but now have to don my Ray Stits hat and apply tapes to the required cuts in the fabric.  Fortunately, I have a couple more days of good doping weather before the big low that is now dousing the upper Midwest gets here.  I’m hoping once this big, slow low passes, I’ll have another one day weather window to make the flight west and still get a nice parking spot in the Vintage Camping Area...but it will probably be after the afternoon air show has ended.  We’ll see!  I hope to see you there!

Andy

[Morgan Walker]

 Enjoy your trip and Happy Landings!

[David G Reichard]

So did you arrive? What row?

[Andy Gelston]

I got there, but not the way I'd hoped.  Anyone who has used the Polyfiber process may recall that it is vinyl based, therefore it requires MEK solvent...well it's not easy finding MEK in New England, because of all the VOC's it likes to release into the air we fly in.  I've since learned that acetone will work in a pinch, but lacquer thinner is too dirty to use with Polyfiber  I was planning on flying in loose formation with my friend Bruce Dexter, who is based a bit north of me and has a Just Highlander.  Both planes cruise at about 95, so that would work well.  With 41VT down for fabric work, we decided to fly out together in the Highlander, however, the WX on Monday was rain, low ceilings, embedded mountains and radio towers, and virga all across New England, New York, and most of Ohio and Indiana...so we decided: oh what the heck, lets just drive!  We pulled all our gear out of the plane and tossed it into the back of the car and 21 hours later, we were in Camp Schoeller, looking around at our neighbors with their camp tables and cookstoves, thinking: we should have thought about what ELSE to bring since we were driving and not flying, BEFORE we drove off.

The week went well, overall: the tent didn't leak when it rained and didn't blow away when it blew.  I checked with aircraft registration and not a single Porterfield attended, I'm sad to report.  There was a whole field of RV-#'s, so I got to thinking: maybe we're just not marketing Porterfield's right.  They've got that "RV grin," what do we have?  Hmmmm.....skinny birds....how about "I lost 30 pounds flying my Collegiate!"  Well, actually, most people have to lose 30 pounds just to fit in a Collegiate, but the same cause & effect is there.  So that's it: Porterfield Collegiate: the weight loss plane!  Guaranteed to get you down below 170 pounds or you don't fly!