Tech Evaluation

Monday the October 29th - November 2nd, I have the privilege of navigating MAF's Maintenance Technical Evaluation or TE for short.  This TE will be used to evaluate my mechanical skills and knowledge which will help with the final decisions for our placement.  At the end of the week we will also be meeting with the candidate committee. Meeting with the candidate committee will allow them to start to formulate where we as a family would best fit as far as placement goes.  These past couple months of working here as an intern has been very helpful as I have gained experience and a familiarity which I think will help with the nerves if nothing else. 

Speaking of which these past couple weeks I have also had the privilege of moving over to the training hanger where the 3 training C206's are kept.  I've been involved in a couple routine inspections which has been a welcomed change of pace.  The first inspection went well, and the aircraft has flown a couple times and returned safely. Which brings a sigh of relief to this new mechanic.  The second inspection should be wrapped up tomorrow and it's return to service flight should be soon to follow.

Taken after surviving my first inspection of a live airplane

After the TE is complete I will return to working in the hanger most likely I will rejoin the crew that is working on the C172 restorations.  We will be remaining here in Nampa until December 14th ish.  We will be back in AB from December 15th through first week of Jan.  We will be sharing an update at the following Churches:

Innisfail Baptist Church ---------- December 16th @ 10:30am
Bergen Missionary Church ------ December 23rd @ 10:45am
Cremona Country Fellowship --- December 30th @ 10:45am

Please contact us if you are interested in a visit for we would like to see as many of our friends and family as possible during our time in AB.  This could possibly by the last time that we are in Alberta with time to visit with you our dear friends and family before we head oversea's!

Hanger Update

Horizontal stabilizer all cleaned and ready for fairing fitting.

Drilling out damaged rivets.

Here are a couple photos from the hanger today.  I continue for the most part detailing (clean) parts for the paint booth.  Inner mixed with the detailing I've done some rivet replacement, etching and alodining which is a process that helps prevent corrosion from forming in the future.  It's extra protection for the parts that get painted and the main protection for the areas which don't get painted.  Last week I fitted the fairings on the left side of the elevator and horizontal stabilizer as well the rudder.  Both of which were an enjoyable change of tasks   Tomorrow I will start on the right side of the elevator/horizontal.  

The projects in the hanger; C182 in the front of the hanger which is heading for Mexico once the annual is complete and the MAF modifications are complete.  C208B farthest away in the picture is nearing completion of it's MAF modifications and inspections and will soon be departing for Kenya.  The C172 in the middle is getting close to paint.  Some control surfaces and one wing are painted or in the process.  Hopefully in a couple weeks we will be able to start reassembly.  The C206 at the bottom of the picture is being used as a template for a stacking system that is in production in the welding shop.  They are hoping to stack 3 C206's over in our storage hanger as it is currently over crowed.  This would free up a lot of floor space as these aircraft wait their fate.  They most likely will be refurbished at some point but they are low priority as we are hoping that a diesel engine is soon available for them in which case they would be retro fitted with the new engine and the airframe would be reconditioned as they have been well used on the field and could use a little tlc before reentering into service.  After the Caravan rolls out I'm not sure which will take it's place as there are several aircraft waiting their turn across the tarmac.  So I don't think I or any of the other mechanics will be running short of work anytime soon.  

 

Overview of the hanger and the projects that are in progress.

That's life in the hanger for the time being.  I've been enjoying working along side a good group of guys here.

Blessings
Greg