Today began full of promise, cold but quite clear in Angaston and the Jabiru 230 booked for 8.30. The weather at the airfield was overcast but dry. Pre-flight completed, harnessed up and about to press the starter, down it came. 5 minutes later and dry again, fired up, turned on the avionics and heard..................absolutely nothing. Shut down and jumped our to check the headphone jacks which were not plugged in - quite a logical explanation for no sound. Back in and harnessed up again to find another shower overhead. 5 minutes later its dry again. This is the point at which common sense probably says retire, but no, other aircraft are buzzing around the circuit so Jabiru and I lift off in light misty rain. The cloud level was low but I just managed circuit height for a touch and go with a pretty neat landing. It looked much better to the north west so I head that way under a cloud base at about 1000' AGL In no time I'm out from under that and in blue sky and smooth as the proverbial. I cruised out to Palmer and turned for home. It looked very ordinary over the airfield so I contented myself with one touch and go that turned into a go-around due to excess height. By this time I am at 700' under cloud and drizzling rain, not having fun and landing and stopping for sure. Good plan as it turned out seeing it hosed down right through the drinking of a very welcome cup of coffee and beyond.
Most of my recent flying days have been like this. If you need rain at your place, let me know and I'll come right over, rain guaranteed.
Back home to the ACF for an easy but enjoyable couple of hours pulling blind (pop) rivets on the vertical stabilizer skins while listening to both volumes of Hot August Night at some volume. Way to go! Is there anything better? Probably but it won't get a plane built That completes the stabilizer, I need to find a home for it as it won't be needed for a while.
This is it with the forward skin yet to be fitted to those beautifully dimpled holes with nutplates behind.
And the complete item.
Now you have to admit that is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. Apart from that it's a milestone, being the first completed section of the build. A small but significant step.
After I've read through the plans for the next section, the rudder, I might even retire to the spa to see if that works some kinks out of the back, and perhaps gloat a little.
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