Bon journey, Bruno

It's funny how you can become attached to someone even if you've only met them over the internet. Bruno Grondin was a large presence in the SeaRey community, always posting jokes on the websites in addition to excellent technical advice.

Tragically, we lost Bruno over the weekend in a mishap.

Godspeed, Bruno

Catching up

It's been a busy spring with Sun n Fun and the Shuttle trip. You can read all about my adventures in Shuttleland here: http://sts134launch.blogspot.com/ And Yes, it was incredibly worth it. If you have any opportunity to go see the final shuttle launch STS-135, DO IT!!!

I forgot to mention that in addition to going to Sun n Fun I attended the Garner's Landing SeaRey fly-in the Sunday before SnF. A greater group of people you'd be hard to find.

But enough about that. The weather finally sorta broke and I've been working on the SeaRey as I can.

I've been slowly going back and adding castellated nuts to any bolts that rotate. Probably added a couple where I didn't need to, but if in doubt....

The standoff for the rudder pedal/cable is on of the few that won't get one. No room to get a cotter pin in.

Next will be to start the installation of the new aluminum fuel tank, and the Batterman tailwheel mod.

Per Aspera, Ad Astra.

Per Aspera, Ad Astra.

 — "Through hardships, To the stars." Motto of NASA 

 

From: KSC Media Accreditation [Edit Address Book]

To: Steve

Subject: Press Site Media Accreditation Request Approved

Date: Apr 19, 2011 8:13 AM

Stephen M Kessinger,

Your request submitted on 04/07/2011 has been Approved.

After I finish this trip I'll be in Florida attending the STS-134 launch, and will be posting about it here. Stay tuned.

It's human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice, really; it's an imperative.

— Michael Collins

Someday I would like to stand on the Moon, look down through a quarter of a million miles of space and say, "There certainly is a beautiful earth out tonight."

— Lieutenant Colonel William H. Rankin, The Man Who Rode the Thunder.

The front fell on.

Where have I been? Does this give you a hint?

You can read all about it here


When I installed my electric trim I noticed that at full forward travel it just touched the lower boom tube, so I played with some spacers until it fit better. I also replaced the undrilled bolts with drilled bolts and castellated nuts on any parts that rotate. I'll be going back and replacing them in a few other spots on the aircraft like in the landing gear, and will use them on any rotating parts in the future.

However there has been a mod to the springs and I have to go back and split them, plus I also have to add the mid rudder cable pulley to the bolt on the right. I'll get to that later, I'm glad I was able to figure the basics out for now.


With that (almost) complete I started on the cockpit.

 
I should have supported the parts higher, I had a bit of a problem lining them up.

I finally skipped ahead a step and added the upper side tubes. This set things a bit better, even if it's a little awkward getting into the cockpit to work.

 

When I installed the joysticks and control linkage I also substituted drilled bolts and castellated nuts. 

If you didn't know, today's title is a variation of the classic comedy routine by Clarke and Dawe "The front fell off"

Bulking up

Last year I was able to secure the new "gusseted" bulkhead parts and over the last month I've gradually installed them. The bulkhead weakness was something I knew about going in and waited for the new version to come out.

This is the old version. In some condition the vertical tubes allowed play in the bulkhead. (the image is from last year when I was working on improving the amount of overcenter in the gear.)

The new version adds a bit of weight but it's worth it.

Where the Clippers sailed

My 50th birthday was last week and I spent a few days with Mom in-between trips.  Heading down to SFO for my flight back to work traffic was light and I had some extra time so I decided to take a trip down memory lane. I grew up in Alameda and as a Navy brat used to hang out at the Naval Air Station. It's still a bit unreal to me to go by these places where I used to dream of being a pilot while I'm on the way to my job as a Boeing 777 First Officer.
 
They were dredging the lagoon at Alameda and I could not get a decent image of the ramps but they're still there. There's also a museum in the terminal building but I didn't have time to stop. http://www.alamedanavalairmuseum.org/

Captain Edward Musick. Master of Flying Boats.

Captain Musick leads his crew down the ramp at Alameda for the first scheduled Clipper to Hawai'i.

I was also finally was able to stop by Treasure Island where the Clippers were eventually based.

Clipper Cove is far too quiet now.

If I set my head just so I could still hear the echos of the big radials....

At SFO I made a mad dash into the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum.

The trip was a much needed break, a moment for reflection as this "pilot looked at 50".

"But yesterdays are over my shoulder,

So I can't look back for too long.

There's just too much to see waiting in front of me,

And I don't think that I can go wrong."