"Recently the Czech Sport Aircraft Factory has put out a service bulletin (SB-CR-017) regarding the main landing gear attach points. The service bulletin requires inspecting the landing gear attachment to the fuselage. Although it is not clear in the service bulletin, this can be done without removing the wing. If there is evidence of any rivets being stretched, sheared, or pulled the service bulletin repairs must be accomplished. To complete the service bulletin 18-20 man-hours are required even though the bulletin only allows for 16 man-hours.
...This service bulletin can be accomplished by a shop of your choosing or at our Addison Texas facility. If you choose to have a local mechanic preform repairs we recommend that you have your service provider contact us. A specially designed wing rack is recommended for removing the wings and special wing alignment tools make wing re-installation much easier."
Monday 30th: The team had already pulled Sally into the hangar and were preparing to do the inspection by the time I called at 8:00am. Less than 15 minutes to the airport and I got a thumbs up that the inspection was successful. Sally wouldn't need to have her wings pulled off. So I turned her over to the Service Experts and let them "do their thing". John and Tom were excellent, advising me of each defect and telling me what to look for and how to avoid potential problems. A Condition Inspection, new brake linings, muffler shroud springs, spark plugs, and broken BNC connector on my ELT, and an oil change topped the list. I also learned how to treat a few nicks on the prop with Bondo and prop paint. Sally even got her belly washed. But this all took time so I extended my stay another day. (I later learned the weather in the Atlanta area was horrible and I probably would have been forced to land early and spend the night short of destination...again.)
Tuesday 1st: Sally started easily by 10:00am and I had the radio tuned to Ground Control to request Flight Following. Once airborne we climbed on course to 5500' but were still in the dense haze. We went up to 7500' to get a horizon and enjoy the tailwinds. It was a smooth flight crossing the Mississippi and into Louisville Winston County Airport (KLMS). This airport was just a fuel stop and I expected to be there all alone but as I taxied up to the fuel tank a man in a golf cart came out to offer assistance. It was a hot, uncomfortable day but he patiently showed me how to run the pump and offered to fuel the plane for me. This was true Southern Hospitality and as I taxied out he gave me a smart salute to send me on my way. (I love General Aviation.) We climbed to 5500' but were just in the base of a scattered layer of small cumulus clouds so once again we went up to 7500'. As we started our descent into Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field (KFFC) I noticed a deep sound on my headset. My eyes immediately went to the engine instruments and finding everything normal looked at the canopy. That was also secure. Then I realized that the batteries in the headset had gone dead. Once replaced I could hear clearly again, phew. Falcon Unicom confirmed that my ride had arrived.We landed at 5:00pm EDT.
Video Notes:
Departing Addison
Falcon Field
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