Look at this...

Here's some pictures of great progress this week during the last few days. We had so much frustration (and probably still will) in the installation of our new IO-550-N engine onto our 206, N827DG. It is an STC installation...that means that the airplane comes stock with a smaller engine, and the STC allows you to install a bigger, more efficient engine and a new propeller. However, there are all sorts of new things within the installation that we are learning. There are many small things that we are sort of scratching our heads as to why the company that owns the STC (no names) did some of the things they did. More than once I was yelling at the engine (should of had a video of that, bet I looked dumb) because of some crazy piece, part, or widget that was incorrect. I don't know...we're learning on this one, so hopefully the next one, we'll be ready for these sorts of things. At least I'm figuring out some of the spare parts we need to have in the inventory. Oh, well. We finally got the engine hard mounted (after much grunting, groaning, hollering, and fighting on Caleb and my parts), so we're happy about that. New windows are being made and installed. Major control surfaces and other smaller parts and pieces have been painted and many more are waiting for paint. It was a good week. Hopefully we'll have another one coming up where a lot of work can get accomplished. Kudos to my crew.

Roy (L) and Tim (R) installing some windows.

These next two pictures are what we jokingly call our "prayer letter" pictures. These are our "success" pictures after we've mounted the engine...finally.


Caleb and the new engine. He sure fought the thing tooth and nail to get it mounted.

Here it is...guess we need to put some air in the nose strut now.