Bomb Drop

June 18, 2010

  

An Email I sent out this morning:

I fixed my fuel leak and refueled with 10 gals, we are going to try our skills at the bomb drop.  $15 for three bombs...weather is great today, wish us luck...tomorrow will try to head to Erie for Fathers day before bad weather moves in, just think on that day last year we were crossing into Alaska.  One day if we live long enough we hope to fly this plane up there and back.  Gosh not enough time to do everything here.  It is getting crowded now, Kathy went and counted all the planes on our side of the runway, where most are camping.  She counted 139 and yes a lot are J3s, I really have a love for the L-4 (military J3) now...might have to trade or just start adding to my fleet.  Watched those "Those Magnificent Men and There Flying Machines" last night.

Griz

   

Beginning of the Bomb Drop Competition

   

When I returned home with a new propeller, I told folks that we won it at a Bomb Drop!  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it ;-)

Okay, so we found the only sign in the middle of the grass taxiway to both runways, why they insist upon putting that there is beyond me.  We didn’t even know we had hit it with the propeller, just thought I ran over a small board left in the field with the right wheel (For if I did, we would have never taken off).  So we took off and did our 3 flour bomb drops and returned to parking.  After I shut down the engine, I noticed from the back of the prop a very minute dimple on the leading edge.  My mind is reeling back to when we rolled over that sign.  As I hurriedly walk around to the front I see the damage and tell Kathy we are done…grounded!  After she see’s it, she asks, “Would a chocolate shake help?”  I said no as I was concerned more about how we were going to fix this.  So I had made friends with the local A&Ps there and went directly to them for ideas.

First we look to see if someone has a loaner prop to get us home with.  Meanwhile I look on the web to see if I can get a new propeller and how much.  Aircraft Spruce has one for $1270 in Georgia.  So after asking around and learning what a loaner prop is and getting some ridiculous quotes from a famous engine rebuilder there who also sells propellers (His famous last words were you’ll not find one cheaper).  So I call Aircraft Spruce and order the one they have in Georgia with free shipping, just $8 in freight for it being oversize.  It will arrive Wednesday and we’ll put it on using the Volunteer Mechanic, Bob Norton’s tools.

After the crowd had left, I had one question remaining.  What about that Prop Stoppage AD?  Even my own IA back home bit off on that one at first, and later recanted.  A local IA said to me, “You have a Continental, that AD only applies to Lycoming engines.”  A sigh of relief by me as I had only worked on Lycoming engines before.  There is a similar Service Bulletin by Continental, but it is not mandatory.  The other mechanics agree that since it is a wood prop and a tapered shaft that I will be okay, but we’ll check it for run out and cracks anyhow.

Griz