Summer in the hangar

Time seems to be flying past just now – I have just had a flick through our blog and realised Heather has been doing all the blogging since the beginning of August! Don’t worry though, I haven’t been sitting around waiting for something to happen! Life at the hangar has been as busy as usual with lots of work going on. So here is a bit of an update for you on what has been happening.

The 207 project has been moving well along since my last post, and for nearly 3 weeks in August, Josh and I were busy rebuilding the tailcone which was damaged in the accident last year. It was great experience for me; the tailcone is a notoriously difficult part of an aircraft to work with, being made up mainly of 16 thousandths of an inch thick aluminium sheet (less than half a millimetre for all you metric folk!) and it is very easy to damage badly if you slip off a rivet head with your rivet gun.

The tail cone, still just flimsy sheets.

It was also amazing to see the structure appear as our work went on. Have you ever done one of those teamwork challenges where you build a bridge from newspaper and sticky tape? When we started putting the tailcone together we had 3 big sheets of aluminium flopping around with some long (and very fragile looking) stringers running the length of the plane. By the time we were halfway through riveting the structure I was able to lie inside to “buck” the rivets as Josh was driving them from the outside.

A few shots of me bucking rivets inside the tailcone

With over a thousand rivets in the tailcone I felt a real sense of achievement at having been so involved in this project!

Driving some rivets on the tailcone

Me, Josh and the finished tailcone!

After we had completed the structural work it was time for the plane to be wheeled into the paint booth and have it’s fresh paint applied. Josh took the time to explain the process to me as he was applying the white to the tail.

The majority of my work when I finish at MMS and move into a field programme will be carrying out annual inspection work, so I was fortunate enough to be able to get involved in the Phase inspection of a King Air 200 operated by www.gcigospel.org
The experience is definitely worthwhile and it has been good to get to work with some of the other mechanics here at MMS. The PT6 turbine engines that this King Air has are being used on more and more mission aircraft due to their much more economical running costs, so getting some exposure to them is definitely a good thing!

For a few days this week we have had Dereck Plante volunteering in the hangar with us. He has had a background in electronics and is looking to see what God has planned for his future. An interest in technical things and aeroplanes led him to MMS, and before he heads off to a YWAM training course for the next 6 months, he was able to come and spend a few days in the hangar. It was good to get to know him a bit as he worked with us, and it was also good to get a few pointers on soldering and circuit boards while he was about!

Bob, Dereck and myself by GCI's King Air

Away from the airport we have all been busy. Our trip back home next month is taking lots of work, as we arrange all the formalities for our visa interview at the American Embassy and a short presentation to share while we are back in the UK. Matthew is really enjoying pre-school, and looks forward to his Friday morning spot there. Abi is still loving school, and amazes us at how much knowledge she can soak in! (Tonight it was a recital of the Pledge of Allegiance… still not sure if Scot’s are meant to say that!!) Heather is busy settling into her new role in the MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group, and this week has had her small group and their children) round to the house for a “wee get-together”. I am enjoying being a part of the Nazarene church here, and am able to get involved with the sound team on a Sunday morning, and the men’s fellowship group that meet once a month.

Thanks for checking in on us!

Auntie Ruth's visit.

Last week we enjoyed another visitor, and little more UK cadburies chocolate! Andy's sister Ruth arrived to stay the week with us before flying to Seattle to see a friend. We were able to take her around the hanger to see what Andy has been up to and show her some of the wonders of Coshocton County. The highlight of the week had to be last friday. On the first Friday of every month an event is put on for families in Main Street Coshocton. The street is closed to traffic apart from a crazy (but fun) wiggling train, and a few tractors. We were able to experience some snake handling. Abi was more than happy to hold a snake much longer than her by herself, and even Ruth was brave enough to have a go! ( I did not!) There were pumpkins piled high, a cake decorating contest, a dog show, and water melon rolling. I had never seen a real frog jumping contest before until last Friday. Abi and Matthew got to pick a frog each out of this huge bucket full of different sized frogs. You then had to sit it on the grass and make it hop three times. The frog that hopped the farthest won. Making the frog jump was quite a challenge. Abi choose a huge frog who could jump very high but was quite content to sit on the grass taking it all in. After some major stamping and beating of the ground we got it moving! Matthew chose the smallest frog which we almost lost in the grass as he was very happy to be free : 0)

We were also able to show Ruth a little of how the Amish folk live near here and of course had to stop by an Amish bakery for some cheese tarts (we try to only buy them when we have visitors!) Andy was more than happy to show Ruth a little of the night life in Coshocton which was basically a trip to Earls ice cream parlour! The weather was variable with cool mornings and then getting into the upper nineties in the afternoon. It is very hard to know what to wear each day. Matthew has decided that shorts and a t-shirt are the only things he wants to wear and I have had a few challenging mornings of late trying to persuade him otherwise. He had his first day at pre-school by himself this morning and managed really well - no tears, just a few extra cuddles and kisses and then he was happy. After I left Matthew I headed over to the first meeting of MOPS (Mother of Pre-schoolers). This year I am a group leader and it was really exciting to meet the mum's in my group and make some new friends. I did take my kettle with me along with some tea-bags and fresh milk - trying to get a hot cup of tea in America still has it's challenges! It is my job to try and arrange a few dates before the next MOPS meeting where we my group can all meet together.

Abi is loving Kindergarten especially her Art and Music classes. We are entertained most evenings by the new songs she has been learning.

The airplane Andy has been working on for months is now almost finished and he has been tasked to a different airplane now and is learning more about the electrical side of things at present. He is going to do the next blog post so if you prefer reading about airplanes rather than frog jumping then the next one is for you :0).

God Bless

Hx