I haven’t posted much about the airplane progress but some small steps are being made. One limitation is that I can only do so much when Spork isn’t available to work because this is an “us” project and not a “me” project, as it should be. Since he’s about to turn 15, we had to stop for this.
He passed, and didn’t crash or kill anyone, so that is progress. But that took most of a week.
This week he is doing government studies with a group called Teen Pact. I’m not sure exactly what they do, but he was elected as a Senator based on his oratory skills and he seems to be having fun, so I think it is all good. While he’s been having adventures, I’ve snuck in a few work sessions on the plane.
Mostly that has meant painting. I finally convinced his mother, the arbiter of The Schedule, that painting was something that I needed to do myself and not with him, since painting gives you cancer and makes you grow extra appendages. Once I explained all the health concerns, she was fine to let me go do it and keep him at home. I was at once relieved and offended. I guess I’ve lived long enough at this point.
But with that freedom, I’ve pulled everything into the paint booth that needed to be orange, which is nearly all of the airplane, and have it panted. Wings, flaps, ailerons, tail feathers, etc. You’ll note the cowling is grey at the bottom of the picture. It, and several other pieces, are to be black. That color was finally opened up this week and the lift struts (thingies that hold the wings in place) were painted black.
With everything orange, and the lift struts black, it is officially time for final assembly. The key word there isn’t “final”, it is “assembly.” Now we do the part that actually looks and feels like building an airplane. Install the wings, hang the flaps, install the windshield, install the avionics, install the engine. All these items are things that we have sorta done before, but now they go on for good. And that means taking our time, torquing nuts on, installing torque seal, grease, or safety wire, whatever that particular joint needs. Then there is the installation of control cables, throttle cables, fuel lines, all that stuff. I’m sure we’ll get lost in the details and spend way too much time.
And then this showed up. 
Ahh!! 90 days to go?! I need about 6 more months!
According to SWMBO, I will start having the boy to work consistently starting next week. The push will officially be on.