A wonderful day

[ksandrew]

Today has truly been a wonderful day. I am taking my annual vacation the same way I have done for many years.

A cruise to the Caribbean would be OK, A week at one of those fancy hotels would be Ok, but what I am doing is far better.

I am doing an owner assisted annual on N1182J

I got all set up yesterday, hauled tables, tools, books and the all to the airport. Ready for an early start this morning. Even made my lunch so I would not have to leave the airport on such a day, Included a salad with hard boiled duck eggs.

This morning had to have a change of plans, fed the cat, the chickens, the horses, the ducks and of course the dog. About that time the electricity went off. The cat who is very, very pregnant disappeared upstairs to hide and find a nest. The water pump had enough prime to fill up the trough for the horses.

I am ready to leave but the cat is nowhere to be found, searching upstairs without light was a little tough.

Got it all sorted so left the house at 8 am. We set up a special T hangar across from the main shop, beautiful smooth concrete floor. All my own tools and just a little independent from the maintenance shop.

What a fantastic day it has been,, I checked the cylinder pressures (under the watchful eye of my IA.) Oil drained, upper and lower cowl removed, all inspection covers removed and labeled. wing tips and tail tips removed, dorsal fin removed for the first time.

Needed parts ordered from Spruce to be here in the morning.

I use the official Commander annual checklist downloaded from COG, and that includes that last page where I make notes of what I need to do at the next annual.

I did learn so much at the Cape doing my annuals under their supervision, I now feel that I am doing the annual and they inspect it as I teach them how to.

Any Commander owner that has not done an owner assisted annual is missing out big time. I keep learning so much about my plane, locally I am teaching them about Commanders, Of course at the fly in, I listen to Jim and others so I can stay on the cutting edge. And here on the GOG I learn so much. Explained to the locals last week of what happens when you loose the turbo. I am not expert, just a member of COG.

So in the morning back to work, I sent the spinner to work today, I have an old black man that has worked for us for 35 years and is getting too old. He will be sitting at a table with the spinner and 25 old T shirts that I purged from my wardrobe. They will see my spinner in Augusta way before I show up on radar.

I am extremely fortunate to own a fine Commander like N1182J, Just today as I went to replace the right recognition light bulb, I looked in the wingtip and saw the nutplates that Sven had installed to hold the lens in place, nothing is less than perfect on 82J.

The funny comment I hear all the time is the same comment I made to Sven when I first met him South Carolina years ago.
" I did not know that they are still making Commanders"

Off to bed now, just so excited to get up in the morning and work on the Commander.

Life is a barrel of fun

Ken

 

[rjames01]

Re: A wonderful day.

Re: A wonderful day.

Today has truly been a wonderful day. I am taking my annual vacation the same way I have done for many years.

... I have an old black man that has worked for us for 35 years and is getting too old. He will be sitting at a table with the spinner and 25 old T shirts that I purged from my wardrobe. ...

Life is a barrel of fun

Ken

Ken,

What's the relevance of this statement to your story?

..Bob J.

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: A wonderful day.

Re: A wonderful day.

Ken,

Are you going to be able to make the EAA Breakfast Sat?

If you haven't disposed of your oil bottles please save them for me and I'll grab them Sat morning.

Wife got me a B O B (Bottom of the Bottle) a few years ago for the shop. Not a dumpster diver but if someone has just changed oil I'll police up their old bottles and see what we get then I recycle the plastic bottles on the Base recycle facility.

Before the "Boo Birds" descend on me;
I know the source of the old bottles,
I use a clear initial collection source (water bottle),
I use a fine mesh screen,
then I 'offer' it for others to use or I'll use it in my tug, lawnmower or old work truck.

Hey, Last couple of years I've collected a 'case' of Philips, 3 bottles of AeroShell and 1/4 bottle of CamGuard

 

[gmores]

Re: A wonderful day

That 'BOB' adapter is clever. Read up on it at the manufacturer's site. I can really see the value with some of these fluids. Last time I had to do a Land Rover transmission the fluid was $17/qt

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: A wonderful day

We have a young CFII trying to build time for the airlines who is flying the wheels off his Piper Warrior. He's changing oil a couple times a month.
We have a running challenge if you would, he's trying to give me the least amount as possible. He's come a long way from when I first started collecting. (Yellow Arrow)
Another Mech on the field uses the 'gulp gulp' technique and I get a 'lot' from his bottles (Green Arrow) . . . one time he tried giving me a full bottle in his box of empties . . had to give it back . . .

 

[plight]

Re: A wonderful day

Living the dream.

 

[Steve136]

Re: A wonderful day

We have a young CFII trying to build time for the airlines who is flying the wheels off his Piper Warrior. He's changing oil a couple times a month.
We have a running challenge if you would, he's trying to give me the least amount as possible. He's come a long way from when I first started collecting. (Yellow Arrow)
Another Mech on the field uses the 'gulp gulp' technique and I get a 'lot' from his bottles (Green Arrow) . . . one time he tried giving me a full bottle in his box of empties . . had to give it back . . .

What am I missing here John? Why do you want my old oil bottles?

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: A wonderful day

What am I missing here John? Why do you want my old oil bottles?

Now, don't everyone show up in Augusta with a bag of empty oil bottles . .

Morning Steve, just a side hobby of mine, based off a gift from my wife years ago.

Take the empties and let them drain over night in my ( B O B ) and you'll be surprised how much residual oil you'll collect. I've got a couple of regulars now on the field that support this effort. Again, I'm NOT digging in the trash for these, not that important . .

 

[ksandrew]

Re: A wonderful day

Bob J.
Andrew Tent Company has been in business for 47 years, we started as a one man operation and over the years grew. Due to the time in business we have many older employees, I have outlived a number of our employees. We are very proud of the fact that that in all those years we have never missed a payroll or laid off an employee. As they get older and less able we do not require that they retire or find easier work.

We make a point of matching the tasks at hand to the employees capability, so an employee with a case of gout will get a sitting down job lubricating ratchet straps or sorting parts. Certain employees enjoy certain types of work, this fellow likes to detail our trucks and so for the past few years he gets the job of polishing the spinner. And a very fine job he does.

John.

I will be at the airport in the morning stitching up the annual, have done a really good annual this year with a lot of new items inspected. A good learning experience this year as I also riveted new brake pads,
Have my list of items for 2019 including new brake rotors and a few other smaller items.
The owner assisted annual this year was a T hangar and not at the maint. shop. A lot different as I did it all except for the AMOC. Calling it owner assisted is a joke. It was an owner done annual. Today was day 4 and I had some help from work doing the cleaning.

I have explored a few places in the plane that I have not been to before in 82J. Also done a lot of things that were not in the official Commander annual list.

Hoping to test fly about 3 pm tomorrow, (Saturday) and then get all the tools put away ban back to my hangar.

Plan to fly to Augusta on Thursday.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken

 

[rringgold]

Re: A wonderful day

John, I commend you for your efforts on getting more oil out of these plastic bottles. You don’t need to apologize for your efforts, we have probably all witnessed someone who wastes oil by not draining them completely. I must state that I am not a tree hugger, but I don’t like waste.

 

[Sherman]

Re: A wonderful day

It's a rainy night so bear with me:

John wrote: "Before the "Boo Birds" descend on me;
I know the source of the old bottles,
I use a clear initial collection source (water bottle),
I use a fine mesh screen,
then I 'offer' it for others to use or I'll use it in my tug, lawnmower or old work truck"

I had a wonderful uncle, my Mother's oldest Brother. Uncle Moish was a real character. Always a Big smile, a heart of Gold, and every time he came to visit, always had some gift for me from the time I was 6 or 7, living in New Jersey.

Uncle Moish was a traveling salesman. Sold vacuum cleaners and radios (pre Transistors ) out of his trunk. He and Aunt Lil, a medical receptionist, lived in the Upper Bronx, when those neighborhoods were still 'Very well maintained '.
He spend 3 months in Miami Beach every Winter.Normandy Hotel 5th and Ocean, now South Beach.
Once in NYC, age 10 I spent the day with him. When he made a sale he took me to Katz's Deli by the Brooklyn Bridge and treated me to a Hot Pastrami Sandwich - the hugest sandwich I ever saw.

Used to say "Florida, Land of the Outstretched Palm'.

Was September 1952, my father was TDY to RADC up in Rome from Monmouth Signal Corp, and we had that Hurricane in 'Joisey Shore'. He came down to check on us (My Mother, me & my Sister, then just 3. He showed up with a brand new Chevy BelAir- top of the Line with those - 'Hi Tech' Futuristic. 3 sectioned Vertical taillights-Two Red Curved Lenses with a white backup light in the center section, all Chrome frame trimmed. 'Uncle Moish was 'Cool'.

During WW2, He had served in N Africa fighting Rommel, was not a 'Pushover', had a Purple Heart he never mentioned.

Bought a new Impala every 2 years. However in 1958, he bought a Pontiac Bonneville 4 dr hardtop with the tri colored pleated leather interior. Very cool car despite I was a Mopar Kid.

Anyway Related here is Uncle Moish used to SAVE the drained Used Motor Oil from the car (Religiously changed every 3,000 miles, and put it in the lawnmower.

When he passed in the mid 90s, I realized Uncle Moish wasn't being 'Cheap', he had really just invented 'Recycling' - - - way back in the 1950s, before we ever knew the concept!

 

[Sherman]

Re: A wonderful memory

Re: A wonderful memory

Above posted twice, couldn't find how to delete double post so, here's a Pic of the 53 Chevy taillight. Looks like my childhood memory was wrong as far as whee the backup lens was. Does this remind you of Carl's recent Stinger Lens shspe??

Uncle Moish did business as 'Yarrum Holding Company'. I remember as a kid asking my Mother "What kind of name for a business is thst"?

She told me "Murray, spelled backwards.Told you Uncle Moish was a real character!

 

[gmores]

Re: A wonderful day

Good stories and sounds like some nice memories Sherman.

Anyone that lived through or had knowledge of the Great Depression knew that you never tossed out anything that might be of use. The complex our office is in was built by United Shoe Machinery in 1903 and there are some neat historical pictures showing their scrap steel drives bringing in train cars full of scrap - all of which was recycled into new shoe-making machinery.

Ask a kid today what 'thrift' is and you'll get a puzzled look.

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: A wonderful day

Had the opportunity to spend a few brief moments with Ken Sat morning.

Ken early in the thread shared: I am extremely fortunate to own a fine Commander like N1182J, Just today as I went to replace the right recognition light bulb, I looked in the wingtip and saw the nutplates that Sven had installed to hold the lens in place, nothing is less than perfect on 82J.

First, being a details kind of guy, I am so envious of 82J and the current and previous maintenance that she has been given. The firewall is immaculate with a nicely done array of separate colors that highlight specific areas. All the plumbing and wiring is dress right dress. She's the standard that I know I'll never get too . . . arrg . .

One unique item I noticed; the ELT antenna is mounted in / under the forward vertical fin / tail fairing pointing downward. The antenna blade extends down into where the fiberglass Naca duct fairing is located making it complete out of sight. That's got to be good for a knot don't you think???

And imagine this if you would, EVERY page of the Maintenance and Parts manual are in an individual plastic sleeves.

Very nice airplane - Mr. Ken . . .

 

[plight]

Re: A wonderful day

Hey Ken,

A picture of your ELT antenna installation would be wonderful.

 

[rringgold]

Re: A wonderful day

Ken is probably busy having fun in Augusta...

 

[ksandrew]

Re: A wonderful day

Just arrived home from Augusta, I will take a pic and post soon Rolf.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: A wonderful day

Just arrived home from Augusta, I will take a pic and post soon Rolf.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken

Glad you are home safe and sound. Connie and I only had maybe 15 min's total in the clouds today, visual approach at home field. Hope others fair okay on their return legs . . .