1. Engine removed and firewall treated for corrosion
I have been to a lot of churches in my short time here, and almost every church during their service says:
“God is good, all the time and all the time, God is good”
2. Engine with new engine mount, ready for installation
But God is definitely good! The main reason why we removed the engine from our aircraft the other week was due to the engine mount having damage beyond limits. This involved ordering a new engine mount from Gippslands in Melbourne. We purchased it from them on the Wednesday just over two weeks ago. We requested overnight air freight to Cairns, which would cost $1600AU. Every Wednesday there is a charter flight by a company from Cairns direct to Mt Hagen, the only direct flight. Fortunately MAF have an arrangement with them and we can get parts, supplies and staff up on these flights. with there is space. But anyway come two days later on the Friday, the engine mount was still in Melbourne somewhere in the sticks waiting in a freight depot. Monday and Tuesday pass, checking the online tracking and still no movement. Come Wednesday morning we start to think that we will not receive the part until the following Wednesday. Meaning that the aircraft will be on the ground for an additional week, to an already extended time out of service. But later that morning we receive news that the engine mount had made it to Cairns, but was too late for the flight. But some how the flight was delayed by four hours, meaning the part just made it onto the flight at the last minute. Later that afternoon, we had received the new engine mount and started to prepare the engine for installation. Not only did we save a week of the aircraft sitting on the ground. But somehow in Melbourne someone at the depot made a mistake and did not place the big package onto air freight, but it was put on a back of a truck. This departed Melbourne Friday and arrived in Cairns Wednesday morning. This meant instead of paying the $1600 for freight, it was only $140 roughly. So to receive a part for an aircraft on the ground in a week is really quick, normally for urgent parts it can take 6-8 weeks. So praise God!
3. Engine installed
Also today in perfect timing we finished the check. What was to be three days of scheduled maintenance turned into almost three weeks of unscheduled maintenance. But during this time we carried out a lot of major work and the condition of the aircraft is now quite encouraging. And all three of us are heading interstate tomorrow, I for the weekend and others for the week. So to accomplish the work and in this time is really awesome and would have to be the most satisfying release of an aircraft so far.
4. Looking good, new windshield installed too
September 26th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Very cool to see the progress of your work on the plane.