Steve brought home the Corvette today and it was kind of bad news. He took it to Mark (mechanic) because the exhaust was loose and he wanted something else small fixed. He was told and thought it would be a certain amount of money and take one day. Three or four days later; he learned he needs an entire new exhaust and has many other problems to fix that ended up taking three times the amount of money expected or desired on spending on that car. He had told Mark he didn't want it left outdoors, so Mark kept it in his shop. Steve gets there today to pick it up, and there are two long dribbles of what looks like bird poop on the hood, so he gets it home and goes to wipe it off. It doesn't come off all the way, it is completely etched into the paint on his hood, several feet long, two different runs. It was some sticky chemical that ate into the paint. He is beside himself. That Corvette means a lot to him, and he can't stand his things being ruined let alone like that. He finally called Mark and told him, and Mark said he'd make it right whatever it took. Neither of them want to have to repaint the whole car, and it's too old to repaint just the hood and have it look normal. Steve just wants it back the way it was and is hoping Mark can do something about that. So that was a less than stellar start to the day.
Then Steve was telling me about multiple students who aren't paying their bill, and he's upset that he's having to get mean on them, and worried that we'll just be out the money, which happens more often than you'd think.
Our 172RG was down for maintenance, our one 172 is in for 100 hour, our 2nd 172 went down with a flap problem, and the weather is nice for the first time in ages. So that was also not a great start to today. But by the end of today, the RG and one 172 were both back up. So that's good.
We got some car shuffling done and I was driving Steve to the airport when Ethan texted and asked if we were around--I said we'd be there in 15 or so. Ethan comes flying in in a Cirrus. He just bought his own Cirrus. It's a 2023 SR22T G6, an older model than the ones we rent, but with a low time engine and a full maintenance program until 2028. It's wired up for Starlink too, so if I have to go low and slow at least I'll have internet again. That means he's pushing off buying a bigger plane for at least another year. He swears he'll still buy a bigger plane 'some day', but in the meantime he's going to Colorado on Monday in his brother's jet and I fly his guys around in the Cirrus and occasionally MBros 340.
Oh, and Kevin is putting the Cheyenne up for sale. The huge expense of the Service Bulletins on top of the new avionics panel it really needs...they've contacted a broker on it, and they won't be getting anything else. So that takes care of all the turboprops.
End of the afternoon, Steve brought home a trailer full of really nice expensive tools and toolboxes that belonged to Russ Pogue, a gent who built an RV-12 from scratch, and passed away right when it was done. Stroke. Nathan bought the plane, and Steve got the tools and box for his help in selling it. He's so excited about that, and has all that stuff in the garage, and while I'm gone this weekend he's going to go through his tools, his set up, put in the new stuff, take some of the old stuff and put it in Kaylee's basement and the rest out to the airport. So he's really pleased about that.
We then went out to dinner at Harvey Hinkelmeyers, AE, me, Chuck and Steve this time. The guys came back to our house to hang out around the fire pit in the yard and have beer and cigars. Around 7:30 pm I headed back out to Glenndale, to meet up with Morgan and go flying in Chuck's Citabria. We wanted to do a sunset flight. She went up to do some spins, so we did some to the left and right there, and then some takeoffs and landings at Kokomo, then I circled over our house where the fire pit fire was really bright and noticeable, and I said hi, and they came out into the driveway to wave up at me. Then we ended at Glenndale and stayed in the air and watched the sun go down, before landing, wiping off all the bugs, and driving home for the night. Nice end to the day.
It's going to have a different N#, with Ethan's Initials at the end
Just a little spin action
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