Blue Sky, Warm Sun, and the Rattle of Rivet Guns

We have been totally blessed by near-perfect weather these past couple weeks. Low humidity (36%), moderate temps (60-80 degrees), and lots of blue sky can make summer very enjoyable. Here's a shot I just walked outside to take:

MMS Hangar Facility

Making Noise
A noisy hangar is a happy hangar and our hangar is rather noisy now. The staccato sound of rivet guns, the buzz of grinding wheels, the soft tapping of a ballpeen hammer shaping aluminum to fit a wooden form, and the whine of pneumatic drills all combine to send the message that progress is being made and missions is one day closer to having the airplanes in our hangar back in service.

Asas 206-Brazil
Ian continues work on the control surfaces of the Asas 206 bound for mission service in Brazil. Right now we're so shorthanded that Ian's working on this project by himself. Fabrication and installation of aluminum skin takes time and requires a good eye, steady hands, and patience. Ian is well able to demonstrate all three.

Ian rivets aluminum "skin."

Moody 182-Spokane, WA

When I shot the video of the project earlier this week, Josh and Scott, were getting the "tunnel" ready to be riveted together. Well, that's all done and you can see the lower cowl sections are being secured to the airframe. This project still has a ways to go before it can return to Moody Aviation in Spokane, WA and serve as a training airplane for prospective missionary pilots.

Josh & Scott and the Moody 182

MAF 206- Chad
Gertjan's been taking care of detail work on the interior of the aircraft and prepping for the installation of the Flint wing tip fuel tanks. The tanks should be installed by the end of the week. Then they'll be able to fuel it up, get it running, and finish the putting the cabin trim in place and the seats in their rails. This project is in the home stretch!

Chad 206

Karen

As I type this Karen's about two hours away from home! I just called Tucker and Tanner to give them a heads-up and to get them cracking on cleaning up the house. I rode my bike today so I'm hoping they have the place all straightened up before I make the pedal home.

Me
Me? I spent the day in a meeting. So did Bob. So did Tim. It had been a while since the three of us had met and we had a lot of ground to cover to reconnect our three departments (HR, production, and training). There are many exciting things on the horizon as we look ahead. The challenge is fitting the new opportunities in with existing responsibilities and necessary resources. Yeehaw. But that's not necessarily new or unique to mission service. It's management. It's stewardship. It's doing the best we can with the gifts God has given us and giving Him the glory for it. Amen? Amen!

Thanks for making it all possible through your partnership and prayers.