PT-6 Class at MMS

The big thing going on in the hangar this week, besides work on the eight different aircraft projects currently underway, is a class being taught by StandardAero on the operation and maintenance of the Pratt-Whitney PT-6 turbine engine. The PT-6 is used extensively on the mission field and is becoming even more prevalent with the introduction of the Kodiak to the mission aviation fleet.

StandardAero has been associated with the PT-6 engine series for many, may years years. As we had a large portion of our staff and apprentices needing to go through the course for the first time, and several desiring a refresher course, Bob arranged for StandardAero to hold their six day class at our facility instead of having our guys travel to their facility in Winnipeg, Canada.

Nine of our guys are spending each morning this week (Monday-Saturday) up in the conference room for the lecture and illustration part of the class. Each afternoon the guys go down to the hangar for the "hands-on" portion of the class. Standard Aero brings one disassembled engine for show-and-tell during lecture and brings a fully-assembled engine for disassembly and inspection purposes providing specific maintenance experience related to splitting the engine, hot section inspection, and reassembly. It's good training and StandardAero does a great job of presenting the information and providing the opportunity to become familiar with the engine.

In the conference room.

In Hangar A

Positioning the engine 0n its stand

Securing the engine to its mounting ring

Top-Secret Missionary Airplane Being Developed at MMS Aviation

As a reward for all our faithful blog followers out there, here's a sneak preview of a new missionary airplane we're developing on the hush-hush. Yes, we do have a little-known Research & Development program here to help keep us on the cutting edge of missionary aviation. The photo you are about to see is the first ever to be publicly released of our very own "X" plane.

We feel it has the capacity to change the way people look at mission aviation and have an impact worldwide no matter what the climate or location. This truly is an airplane for all seasons and situations. While developing this on a small prototype, we envision eventual certification of similar options for larger aircraft like the Quest Kodiak and the Cessna Caravan.

Okay. Here's the photo:

MMS Aviation's very own "X-Plane"

This airplane will be able to make its own runway on the fly! Whether prospective runways need to be plowed or mowed or both, this airplane will be the leading edge of the final push to open up the last frontiers. With the brush-hog deck underneath and the cutting blade on the front both fully adjustable from inside the cockpit, a new breed of construction engineer/pilot will be the first on the scene. No more spending months of tireless labor constructing a runway by hand. Now, it'll just take a few low-altitude, high-speed passes and within minutes missionary airplanes following close behind can be on the ground delivering the people and supplies necessary to continue expanding the Kingdom as our solver winged-wonder heads into the sunset to open another previously unreachable avenue.

We're having a contest to name the prototype. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment.

Thanks for playing along.

Spring Yard Work

Like everyone in a winterized area, spring yard work is a real joy and something we all look forward to. It's like a ritual of new life and new hope. This weekend has really been THE spring weekend to start work after a whole string of perfect weather days. People are getting their mowers out and mowing for the first time (I actually mowed Thursday evening), mulch is being sold at every store and gas station, and we all get reacquainted with our neighbors.

I started with getting the rose bed in order. I'd trimmed the rose bushes back and cleaned them up a couple weeks ago, but more work was needed to get them ready for this season--old mulch out, edging in, fertilizer down, etc.

Working on the rose bed

Completed rose bed

Karen has had an ongoing vision for a mini-pond in our front flower bed. She felt it would be so nice to sit on our front porch and hear water running. She found a small pond liner on clearance and that was that! While I worked on the roses, Karen spent the day developing her pond concept.

Karen and her pond.

Today we're focused on the back yard: preparing and re-seeding the bare spots in the dog's yard, reducing the size of the dog yard, and running down a new tarp for our woodpile.

Lord willing, we'll be able to get it all done before the predicted rain starts!

Have a great Easter!

Tucker and Tanner's Spring Haircut

After a cold winter and months of fur growing, Tucker and Tanner always look forward to getting their spring haircut. We decided to give them a little more personality by keeping the hair long on the top of their heads...

Tucker & Tanner before their spring cut.

Tanner and Tucker after their spring cut.

So, do these dogs really need more personality?