Building a DC-3 In Our Basement

Well, either our basement is very large (to encompass building a 26 passenger, twin engine, WW 2 era airplane) or the DC-3 I built is very small. Take a guess. Yes, the DC-3 is a scale model as our basement isn't very large. Or even regular large. It's just a basement.

I hadn't built a scale airplane model in probably...forty years. It was fun to sit down at my workbench and, over the course of several evenings over the course of a month or two, to remember the joy of model building. Spray paint, trim paint, glue, hobby knives, tape, paint brushes, rubber bands, decals...it was fun, less of a rush than when I was younger. I savored each step and took it to a little more detail than if I were 12 years old. There's still a world of tricks and techniques to increase the realism of my modeling but there's time for that. I have several HO model train cars to build as well.

But before I do any more painting in the basement, I do need to build a little paint booth. Lord willing, I'll get around to that sometime before winter starts. Right now, I can paint outside if I need to.

Here are some pictures of the DC-3 in Eastern Air Lines colors.

In the assembly process at my basement workbench.

On the ramp at MMS Aviation #1

On the ramp at MMS Aviation #2

Fly In, Fly Out

We've been blessed to serve two different missions over the past two days that had immediate maintenance needs.

First, Pfeifer Evangelical Association flew their Piper Aztec in yesterday for us to troubleshoot and repair a problem with their left main landing gear strut.

Here's the Pfeifer's Aztec taxiing to our hangar. Notice how the wingtip on the right is lower than the wingtip on the left.

Tim and Mark (an apprenticeship candidate undergoing evaluation), positioned the aircraft in Hangar C, jacked the aircraft, and removed the gear strut. They disassembled, cleaned, and inspected the strut and its components finding two O-rings that needed replacement. The parts are on order. The Aztec should be ready to fly by Friday.

Tim and Mark remove the landing gear strut for inspection and repair.

Second, Gospel Carrier International flew their Super King Air 200 in this afternoon for a compressor wash.

Gospel Carrier International's King Air 200 on the ramp in front of Hangar A.

Mark B. and Chuck prepare the left engine for its compressor wash as Mike supervises and Paul G. observes.

The guys have since completed the wash of the compressor sections of the King Air's turbine engines and the fuel truck is on our ramp pumping jet fuel into the airplane's fuel tanks for departure. The King Air will be back in the sky shortly.

Thank you for your gifts and prayers that allow us to perform these maintenance services labor-free for Christian mission organizations.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Just so you know, Karen's new rain barrel is in the process of being filled to overflow!

Saturday Update

Last week we were blessed to host a member of Mission Safety International's Repair Station Audit Team, Greg Simpson, in our home. Greg brought his OSHA expertise into our hangar to help us understand how we could improve in the area of industrial safety. His 32 years of experience was of great benefit to us. Stan Schmoe and Jim Levander rounded out the team and focused on our manuals, procedures, and practices regarding our Repair Station status. They conducted the audit Tuesday & Wednesday and provided a preliminary report of their observations Thursday afternoon. Once we receive their final report, we'll have some guidelines and recommendations to help us get even better at preparing people and planes for worldwide mission service.

It was so nice to have rain yesterday and to finally get a break in the 90+ degree weather. It's only 83 today, sunny, puffy clouds floating round, and it's very nice outside in the shade. It's also nice to be able to turn off our air-conditioners.

Tanner and I were up early this morning so we went out for a sunrise walk on our 3 mile, neighborhood loop. It'd been nearly two weeks since we'd been out for a walk with schedules and weather taken into consideration. It was a very good walk.

Earlier this afternoon, I helped Karen complete construction of a rain water collection and storage system (RWC&SS) today. She started yesterday evening by building a base to hold the trash barrel that will hold the rain water that falls down the spout after falling from the sky and rolling down our roof. Today it was installing the plumbing hardware and modifying a down spout. All in all, it was a great project about which she's really excited. Now she'll be able to water the garden for free (providing it rains--which it does quite regularly in Ohio this time of year). Here's a picture of Karen and the finished RWC&SS.

Just about finished.

Finished!

This evening I think we may read a bit and maybe watch a movie. One of our fellow missionary families at MMS loaned us two sets of Hercule Poirot DVD's which we're greatly enjoying.

Tomorrow it's worship team practice, lead the young adult Sunday School class, worship, then off to another local church for lunch and to celebrate the installment of their new pastor.

Next week I'm overseeing the in-hangar candidate evaluation of our latest candidate family, the Waddells. Their from South Carolina. If their three day evaluation goes well, Karen and I will then spend two days orienting them to raise their financial support.

There's lots of exciting things going on up at MMS and at Fresno Bible Church right now. LOTS of them. Lord willing I'll be able to communicate them all over the next few days, weeks, and months.

Thanks for praying for us and for your financial gifts which enable us to serve. We couldn't be doing this without you. You are very much a part of God's work here in Coshocton, Ohio.