It’s like a light switch was flipped: winter became spring in a snap.
The airport has been hopping with activity since warmer weather arrived – airplanes flying with their pilots getting the winter rust off and others poking their heads into open hangars checking on projects and their friends along the way.
The restorer came to the decision that one coat of paint on the joists was enough and after painting the uprights we can reach as well the project is complete.
I have an idea for the abstract floor and will hopefully be getting that up without more grousing.
In the meantime, we have straightened the hangar up and put almost everything back in its place.
Time and effort notwithstanding, the joist project was an opportunity to learn about how both the restorer and I work through something.
Apparently, I do better with support and cleanup than painting.
As long as the restorer’s Cub is unscathed, which it is, everything else can be improved.
The restorer was among those getting recurrent on the first good weather day. Our hangar neighbors were also out in one of their 182’s and a friend pulled his Pietenpol out in the light wind down the runway.
As the restorer began the preflight walk around of his Cub, an airport friend stopped by to catch up.
Hearing about projects in progress over the winter and more importantly any updates on airport friends and family from over the winter is a part of waking up to flying season.
After the airport friend said goodbyes-and wandered down the taxiway, the restorer began his preflight once again from the beginning.
Before long, the restorer was propping the Cub and climbing in to become current again.
3 takeoffs and landings to a full stop (because he is flying a tailwheel airplane) at minimum every 90 days.
While the restorer got his takeoffs and landings in (along with some practice away from the airport), I began my round of the open hangars saying hello and catching up.
Talking to an airport neighbor who plows the taxiways through the winter with a blade on his jeep seemed like a real treat compared to the waves hello from warm vehicles during cooler times.
He was catching up with another neighbor whose 182 they just got back from a lunch flight to Mount Victory (O74).
I said my goodbyes and got in some steps while watching the restorer enter the pattern only to land then takeoff again.
I saw a dog I knew in the distance and walked over to catch up with the furry child and their owners, one of the restorer’s airport sons.
The well-trained dog, sat staring at me as I approached, tail wagging excitedly.
When close enough, the son said “Okay” and the dog ran around me like a pylon in an air race repeatedly before leaning into me with all his weight asking for pets and love.
I caught up with the airport son and his furry friend while watching the restorer come in for his final landing on the sod.
Current again!
I said goodbye to his son and pup, and walked over to where the restorer had taxied the Cub.
I jumped into the front seat (more realistically scampered over the strut like a toddler on a jungle gym), and buckled myself in for a bit of altitude therapy.
Life is returning to what passes for normal at this little piece of aviation heaven in Ohio.
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