Huge thanks to VAF and the following for showing up to help in dissembling Black Magic and getting her out of harms way......:
Curt & Kim Hostermon RV-7
Chuch Brietigam RV-3
Mike Coates RV-9A fuselage
Scott Tubbs RV-8 finishing
Greg Gruninger RV-8
Shad Ayers Transport, food go getter and general nice guy
Joker RV-8
As I was driving in I saw a two ship inbound and made the comment, gotta be RV's, sure enough about the time I pulled into the parking lot, up come Greg and Chuck taxiing to the ramp.........."hey guys......park waaaaayyyy over there"!!
We got started shortly before 10AM. At any one time there were four or five guys going at it on the hottest Saturday of the year. It still took us until shortly before 4 PM to get her loaded on the trailer of a commercial carrier's flatbed. I used their truck so it would be covered by their insurance during the move. The company has several semi's along with two F350 diesels with some pretty good size triple axle goosenecks, which is what I used for the move.
It takes a little longer to remove a pair of completed wing, than when you put them on for the final time. Final time..hah, so I thought
Anyway, some of the wing bolts decided to try and kick us in the......backside. An application of a rivet gun made the bolts see it our way, using air as a "bigger hammer:.
As for transport, the use of R-19 insulation and duct tape added a layer of cushion as we laid the wings flat under the fuselage flatbed trailer. We first wrapped the wings in sheets and blankets, then the insulation. Scott, I'll get the blankets, foam and your pliers back to you next weekend. Check out the insulation idea, good one Seth. Todd, we did use 1/2 blue rigid foam insulation on the bottom of the wings also, these puppies were not going to get damaged in the move.
Big thanks to you guys, thanks is not enough but thank you anyway. Kim, sorry to have kept Curt there so long, I know you were looking forward to dinner at Rough River. I tell you what, those were three beautiful RV's sitting on the ramp at EKX.
Down to the garage I go, got my pondering chair sitting in front of the airplane, fridge plugged back in and tools waiting to have the dust knocked off of them. Going to remove the prop today and start unhooking lines, sensors and such from the engine........times a wasting.
Keep pounding, I will too, these things are just too much fun to fly!!