Moving along

Moving along

I've been plugging away at the rebuild for a while now, Its taking a bit of a tole on my motivation, don't get me wrong I'm still keen to get things finished at my level of quality, I lost a bit of momentum after the Dalby Big Air Hang Gliding comp, I picked up a nasty bug was crook on the last day, that knocked me around for a few days, when i got home i didn't even go into the shed for a several days, I also had a bit of a kick in the guts after I had a proper look at the already assembled Emp kit I bough off a guy in California, (Harve Costa) From the photo's and our many phone calls I felt confident that I was buying something that had been built by an experienced builder, unfortunately that wasn't the case, more like a very un skilled hack is what I would call the standard of the workmanship, I think any of the first year apprentices at my work could have done a far better job without direction. Rivet lines were pitched threw just the edge of the ribs and spars, some were pitched into just the skin, Probably the worst example of riveting I've ever seen. You can probably guess I'm not very happy about things, ah well it's a $1500 lesson I've learned. The good thing is I have bought a new unassembled Emp kit off another guy in California, the Emp Kit should arrive in a container in around a month.

 

Engine mount drilling Jig

 

I've been filling in time while I've been deciding what to do next, I thought a set of light weight wheel chocks would be a good thing to have in the aircraft so I got to work bending, cutting holes and riveting, again I'm happy with what I've come up with, it's not much but I feel it added a little special touch to what I'm making.

The Little things, Wheel chocks.

 

 

New canopy drilling

The engine mount and landing gear legs are now completed, that took a bit of time to get right, it's now perfect and I'm very happy with the finished product, both legs are parallel to each other, I had to wait a couple of week for some bits to come in from the US so I could finish off the wheel build up. As you can see the wiring is all in place now, engine mount is installed and waiting for the engine to hang, just have to save up the $$$ to get the engine finalised and ready for installation.

 

Back on her feet

 

Scrapped Hori stab

 

I'm heading to Florida on the 6th May to compete in the Florida, Race and Rally Hang Gliding comp, each day we launch, fly the task and land at a new airfield 100-150 km away, then do it all over again the next day for a week, I'm really looking forward to Flying in the US, catching up with old mates and flying a to a new part of Florida each day, it's going to be an awesome experience, I've never travelled with my glider before, short packing my glider was an experience to say the least, it wasn't hard just time consuming. I just herd that two other pilots from Australia, Dave May and Kathryn O’Riordan had there gliders trashed by United Airlines Baggage handlers, now I'm really worried my glider will get damaged as well, leaving me without a glider for the comp. The good part is I'm flying Qantas to LA then probably Delta to Orlando.

 

Kathryn's trashed glider thanks to United Airlines Baggage handlers.

 

 

 Two weeks ago I competed in the last comp of our flying season, an amazing week of flying, we set triangles of around 85-110km each day finishing back at the Dalby hangar. The sunset photo was taken after most of the field made goal.

Short packing my glider

Wrapped, padded and short packed