Ed_Wischmeyer
Well Known Member
Some people give their vehicles names. I've never named any of my cars, nor have I given nicknames to the RV-4, RV-8, RV-8A, or AirCam. The Cessna 175 was nicknamed The Bumblebee because the pre-purchase photos looked like it was black and yellow. (The black was actually a not very attractive chocolate brown, like early Boeing jets).
The RV-9A has truly earned its nickname after being soot-covered and, to an unknown degree, soot-filled from a fire two hangars over. The nickname is... yes, it's obvious... Smokey.
Garmin said that the GTN650 and the transponder should come home to get any soot out, so they're on their way back to Olathe, and the insurance will pay for the flat-rate repair.
Yesterday at the airport, I put blue dots where the paint had been discolored by melting plastic dripping from the ceiling. Smokey's photos before the soot was washed off showed spots that are hard to see now, but all of the upper surfaces need the paint touched up, and the canopy and windshield could use a good buffing to take care of a few spots.
There's soot in the tips of the stabilizer, no surprise, but since my inspection mirrors are not yet retrievable from the original hangar, I don't have a good idea of the details. And the shop is going to remove soot from Smokey's engine compartment, carb and cabin air intakes, and pitot/static inputs in advance of the 30 day corrosion inspection.
By the way, the insurance adjuster is 100% in favor of corrosion proofing all aluminum airplanes. There wasn't time, but he says that he has stories... And after 42 years as an adjuster, he probably has some good ones.
It's also curious to consider two other planes I've owned. My old AirCam was eaten by a treetop in a severe crosswind and fell to the ground inverted. The new owner was seriously injured but made a full recovery. I was well along on the sheet metal part of an RV-10 when divorce struck, and somebody else completed it. It was inadvertently landed in the trees at dusk, flying an instrument approach that was for daytime only.
I hope Smokey doesn't become number three. At least there are no trees involved...
The RV-9A has truly earned its nickname after being soot-covered and, to an unknown degree, soot-filled from a fire two hangars over. The nickname is... yes, it's obvious... Smokey.
Garmin said that the GTN650 and the transponder should come home to get any soot out, so they're on their way back to Olathe, and the insurance will pay for the flat-rate repair.
Yesterday at the airport, I put blue dots where the paint had been discolored by melting plastic dripping from the ceiling. Smokey's photos before the soot was washed off showed spots that are hard to see now, but all of the upper surfaces need the paint touched up, and the canopy and windshield could use a good buffing to take care of a few spots.
There's soot in the tips of the stabilizer, no surprise, but since my inspection mirrors are not yet retrievable from the original hangar, I don't have a good idea of the details. And the shop is going to remove soot from Smokey's engine compartment, carb and cabin air intakes, and pitot/static inputs in advance of the 30 day corrosion inspection.
By the way, the insurance adjuster is 100% in favor of corrosion proofing all aluminum airplanes. There wasn't time, but he says that he has stories... And after 42 years as an adjuster, he probably has some good ones.
It's also curious to consider two other planes I've owned. My old AirCam was eaten by a treetop in a severe crosswind and fell to the ground inverted. The new owner was seriously injured but made a full recovery. I was well along on the sheet metal part of an RV-10 when divorce struck, and somebody else completed it. It was inadvertently landed in the trees at dusk, flying an instrument approach that was for daytime only.
I hope Smokey doesn't become number three. At least there are no trees involved...
Last edited: