Stripes layout on CMA

We've been getting the stripes laid out on CMA so that we can paint the blue on it.  This is a slower time for paint prep, because you have to be "artsy" when doing the stripes or they just don't turn out well.  It takes time and patience...something that none of us seem to have! :)  Anyway, it's all laid out and hopefully we'll get the light blue painted this afternoon.  

 Myself and Timothy getting the stripes on the tail sorted out.  Although you can't really tell that it's me...

 A better shot of the same. 

 The result.  Stripes ready to be masked and painted. 

 Caleb drew out the stripes on the fuselage with the help of our handy brown paper template. 

Masked and ready for paint.  The top stripe is dark blue (Duke blue) and the bottom is light blue (Carolina blue).  An interesting choice of colors...but maybe only for a North Carolina boy like me.  :)

Hangar time...

 I thought I would put up a few pictures of the hangar just for fun. 
 

 This is a good shot of all of our current types of aircraft we operate.  From left to right: Douglas DC-3TP, Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, Cessna U206, and Cessna 210.

 The smaller workhorses of the fleet...the Caravan and 206.  

Tool box roundup.  We do this every now and then in order to get tools back where they belong, as a result of people borrowing and not returning.  It's actually quite funny...most of the guys look at other tool boxes in order to see what sort of tools they need to buy. :)  You can spot my two boxes on the right side, the blue one with the wood top and the red one to the right of it. 

Painting a Cessna 206, 5Y-CMA

This week, we have been focused on painting 5Y-CMA.  We did one day of painting on Tuesday, which consisted of the fuselage and some other parts and pieces.  We will do another batch tomorrow, which will hopefully be the last group of things to be painted.  Painting is always a long and tedious process, as experienced painters know.  Probably 90% of the time is spent doing prep work, getting the metal cleaned and treated properly, taped off, paint mixed correctly, etc.  Then the other 10% is the part where all that good work done before can be either completed successfully or poorly.  If the prep work is done poorly, then no matter how well the paint is sprayed, it won't look nice.  However, even if the prep work is done very well, the painter can either mess it all up, or do a good job.  :)  See how difficult it is to paint airplanes?!  It takes a special breed of people with the patience to really focus themselves to become proficient at painting.  Me?  I think I'll stick to my sheetmetal work. :) Anyways, enjoy the pictures! 

 

At the front of the hangar, ready for prep work. 

Marko and Joseph getting things ready to start etching the fuselage. 

Joseph putting etch on the fuselage while Justine (from the parts room) watches. 

What the other guys were doing while we were working. :)  Gotta take tea!

Marko decided to drink the etch instead of the tea...not cool!

Etched and alodined, sitting in the warm sun to dry a little bit. 

David cleaning up our mess while CMA dries in the sun. 

I shot the green primer in the morning. 

Green...good thing we don't paint it this color...it would blend in with all the broccoli we fly over. 

Jose doing the dirty job of painting the belly...what a pain.  Thanks, Jose!

Moving up around the fuselage.  I thought this was a neat picture because you can see the green and the white in the same shot. 

Some finishing touches on the nose portion. 

 And all done!  Beautiful!

 We've been hanging the smaller stuff in a small room off to the side to keep them safe while they dry, dry, dry, and dry some more. 

 She's out in the hangar now!

And an empty paint booth.  I swept it out this morning, and we're already hanging the next parts to be painted tomorrow.

DC-3 maintenance

This past week, we worked on the DC-3 to get a phase inspection completed on time.  It was a fun experience working on the 3, as I haven't really had too many opportunities to do so.  

 

 It really does take up the whole hangar doorway.  Once it's in, nothing goes in or out. 

 I got to spend a little bit of time up on top doing inspection of the skin and antennae.

 

Me and Pete posing on top of the 3.  

 Me and Pete again.  

 

The guys took up the floor and did some cleaning and detailed inspection of the structure under the floor.  Its a heck of a floor to have to remove and install.  Good thing we don't have to do it very often.  

 

This is where I spent some of my time...in the tailcome, cleaning and doing some inspection.  And yes, that is the potty.  

And yes, that's me sitting on the potty doing some work. 

You know you live in Africa...Part Four...

Wow, I never really thought it would keep going like this...but it is!  We had a young blue heron fly into our hangar the other day.  It was amazing.  He flew in over two airplanes and then attempted to land on Pete's head, and stumbled down over by the inventory stores' window.  Preston went over and got him out safely and returned him to the freedom which is across the apron. It was a great experience...one that keeps reminding me that I really am living and working in Africa.  The whole thing was really pretty funny...especially when the bird hit Pete in the head.