Some moments in life are full steam ahead on a passion project. The restorer and I appear to be in that mode again with recent verification of gear geometry for our Aeronca Chief project, my Mama’s Chief.
Since the winter, the welder made steady progress on the fuselage structure after we handed it off.
Much of his work focused on areas that showed corrosion or damage—predominantly the attach point for the strut and wheel assembly on the right side and in the tail section.
Setting the Gear Geometry
In recent weeks, the restorer has been focused on the gear legs, preparing them for attachment to the fuselage.
That work included reaming the bushings for the Chief’s gear to get everything ready for the welder.
Coordinating with the welder meant an early morning, arriving with the sun to beat the heat of the day.
The welder’s own aircraft were rolled outside so Mama’s Chief could be positioned across the concrete relief joints, giving a stable surface for verifying geometry.
With plumb bobs hung from the tail and fuselage, a carpenter’s level across the width of the fuselage, and a framing square in hand, the alignment began.
Gear legs and struts went on first, with careful tape-measure checks from centerline to each wheel.
Then came the next test—confirming the wing attach points.
Borrowed Struts and a Rough Wing
The restorer reached out to one of our Aeronca friends for Chief wing struts.
His reply was simple: “Come on over.”
We pulled out a set of struts and brought the still-assembled wing from our hangar up to verify fit.
The wings are in rough shape—one disassembled by a previous owner, the other still intact but needing a full teardown, inspection, and repair before it can be trusted again.
Between the welder, restorer, and our Aeronca friend, we positioned the wing and lined up the struts.
While not exact, the fit was close enough to reassure everyone.
The restorer explained there will be tweaks once the welder completes this phase, but overall the geometry checked out.
Happy with the progress, we packed up the spare parts the welder didn’t need and returned them—along with the wing—to our hangar.
Finding More Along the Way
The next day, the welder asked us to come back over. While finishing repairs on the bottom of the tail, he found additional damage at a structural junction where a previous repair had been done incorrectly.
He and the restorer talked through options. Because the joint will be visible once covered in fabric, the repair needs to be right—not just strong but also correct in appearance.
After some back-and-forth, they agreed on an approach and ordered additional stock.
The Nature of Projects
While projects always seem straightforward when mapped out on paper, reality usually adds a few twists.
Mama’s Chief is no exception. Progress comes with discoveries—sometimes exciting, sometimes frustrating.
The recent verification of geometry was a satisfying milestone, even as the tail repair added another step to the list.
With everything apart, the time and energy to inspect, confirm, and correct takes exactly as long as it needs to take. That’s the nature of restoration: steady progress, even with detours along the way.
Follow the Chief Project
Catch up on all updates to Mama’s Chief here
Leave a Reply