Covering left wing...and we have SNOW!!!

12/13/03 - Last time out, I mentioned I was planning to try to manage a couple more evening shifts, but it didn't work out...I did get back out to the shop this morning for about three hours and resumed applying the tapes on the left wing.

Here's a shot of the topside before I began today:

Tapes precut and ready:

Beginning from aft to forward in the next photo.  I mentioned after applying the topside tapes on the previous wing that it worked best (for me) to begin from the aft side in order to insure the tapes show a continuous loop from bottom to top.

In process, working on the fourth rib out from root end:

I'm sort of glad the next photo LOOKS normal...I'd just finished cleaning up a nice GLOB of adhesive that had fallen to the side of the tape I am applying.  I used a clean wad of paper towels dampened with MEK and it cleaned right up!

Finished with the main ribs and now working on the top root rib tape:

After applying the leading edge tape top and bottom sides:

Working on the trailing edge tape:

Trailing edge finished:

I knocked off at this point to get ready for an appointment, leaving just the tip bow as the only remaining section requiring tape.

Unless I can squeeze an evening in during the coming week, it'll probably be next weekend before I can get back to the shop as tomorrow is booked and I HAVE TO finish Christmas Shopping yet.

I realized today that I am working considerably faster on this than the first wing.

According to my timesheet, I had 33 hours invested when I finished the tapes on the previous wing and with only the tip bow remaining to apply I'll have maybe 24 hours...hmmmm, I know I've worked at a better pace this time, knocking nearly a third of the time down.

Wing covering is winding down pretty quickly and I'll be ready to begin covering the fuselage after this item is completed!

Late edit...I just stepped outside and decided to post the following picture:

It really IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I know, it's a really wimpy looking snowfall, but we don't get lots of snow in Southern Indiana, so when it occurs, Marilyn and I really enjoy it.

Who knows...maybe by morning we'll have a REAL snowfall...those snowflakes look like they have potential!   ;^)

More updates soon...

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Last Update: 12/13/2003