As one who has maidened more planes than I can count all I have to say is don't get in a hurry. Try to plan your maiden so you are not doing "an all nighter" to finish the plane so you can maiden the next morning. If you can plan it so you can finish the build a couple of days before your plan to maiden flight the plane. Then the night before go over EVERYTHING and check that all is ready to fly. Check screws are tight, servos are securely mounted, covering sealed everywhere, etc.... Then at the field for the maiden look it over again. If you have an instructor or buddy handy have them look it over too, because sometimes a fresh pair of eyes will see things that you missed. This kind of paranoia has saved at least one plane for me.

Also, after the first day of flying make sure you go back over it to see if anything loosened up. Screws, bolts, nuts, etc.. have a habit of vibrating loose and you want to check them after the first flight to make sure they are still tight.

Hope this helps

Ken

Thanks Ken. I plan to maiden her in two weekends. I won't rush into that any more than I've rushed any other part of this build. I already have the club 'pro' on notice that I want him to maiden my plane for me.

I couldn't maiden her this weekend if I wanted to anyway. We're going to visit the in-laws Friday afternoon thru Sunday. No big deal though. Hopefully I'll have her done by then and I can at least take her with me to show off to them.

I'm not going in to work until 11:30 today, so I'm going to get covering! Don't worry, I'll post photos.

Of your wife in that "HOT" dress?

Yeah! What he said! ^^^^

Just (carefully)take a heat gun to that hatch - it's really not that bad!
Covering looks really good! ( I'm still not sure about the color choice though )

I'll post pics of mine(in a couple of weeks) if you post pics of yours...

Sorry, no photos of the wife. I didn't take any, and I don't think I could convince her to dress up again just for photos for (to her) complete strangers.

Anywho, I do have one photo for you guys. I have now covere the left side of the fuselage!



That color really changes in different light. I'll have to take some photos of the completed product in sunlight so you can revel in the beauty of my color choices (or something like that ).

Covering is coming along well.

A photo of you and your wife dressed up together is something you should have for your family album and you will wish you had some day IMO. Even if you don't want to share with others right now, there may come a day when such photos may be all you have. Sorry to get grim, but recently went to a funeral for a cousin. Very glad to see a lot of beautiful old photos of her that were taken. Next time, take your camera and have someone take a picture of the two of you together. You won't be sorry. Even if you don't share.[:@]

You have a point there Bruce. Memories are important, and photos make them easier to remember. I'll keep that in mind.



In reference to my covering... all that remains now is the turtledeck! I have attached two photos so you all can see both sides and the fuel tank through the hatch area are covered.

Once I get the turtledeck covered, it's on to pattern work. And that'll probably have to wait until tonight. I'm thinking I might go in to work at 10:30 instead of 11:30.

Final assembly coming soon!!!!!

Looks like it...you sure should be able to see that trim scheme in the air.
Kinda wild but I like it!!

Man, I hope so!

I think I'll be able to get the turtledeck covered this afternoon before the wife gets home from work. Once that's covered, all that remains is to put the stripes down the side of the fuselage and the starburst pattern on the wing (EDIT: Almost forgot, there's also the starburst on the vertical fin/rudder too)! Then it really will be time for final assembly.

I'd like to have her ready by Thursday night so I can take a completed plane with me when we go visit the in-laws. They said they wanted to see it next time we came up there, so they're going to! Maybe I can even take care of engine break-in while we're up there.

Hey! That's too cool! Your plane matches your furniture! LOL!

Bruce brought up a good point, I think I'll get pictures of us all dressed up too (that's rare enough anyway - getting dressed up by itself is worth remembering!)

Plane is looking awesome!

And we're all hoping that it flies better than that end table!
[sm=bananahead.gif][sm=bananahead.gif]Gotta get our MDSA** quota met, right?




** - Minimum Daily "Smart Arse"

Except in a tornado, I've never seen an end table fly. What size motor for an end table?

Oh, I dunno.... something from DA should do the trick. Maybe a twin 3.2 gasser or so... wheel on each leg...


Hey! I wonder if flyingthings has a "coffee table" ? (along with the witch, lawnmower, racecar, etc)

Holy crap, you're right. I swear that's just a wierd lighting effect. My tables are not metallic wine!

I spent a little too long at work (didn't realize it was time to leave) so I may or may not get that turtledeck covered this afternoon/evening (I'm gonna try though!).

I did get a call from the wife today that changes things somewhat. We were going to visit the in-laws this weekend because our neice is getting baptised and my wife is to be her godmother. However, the baptism has been moved back a week, so we're not going anywhere this weekend. Now I don't know what to do. I don't think I can have the SSE ready to fly this weekend, and I don't want to rush it, but I don't really want to wait three weekends until the maiden flight.... I don't know, I don't really see a way around it right now. So... the maiden flight should occur on or near October 15th now.

Anyway, if I'm going to get the turtledeck covered I'd better be working on it when the wife gets home (she might let me finish it if I'm already hard at work ).

cough cough, sniffle sniffle. Hmmm, sounds like you're getting sick there my friend. Sounds like you may need to call in "sick" to work one day next week. Oppps, that day just happens to be the day you wanted to maiden the SSE. Oh well, I guess you'll just have to suck it up, push on through the sickness, and maiden that plane anyway!!!!

Ken

Ken, let's not encourage that sort of thing. Just take the day off. Quit if you have to, that'll teach her.

Wow! Blew right past today's MDSA quota and clear into next week! You guys are on a roll!
That settles it kiswa, you really need to get that bird in the air!

I agree with Ken. Sometimes ya just gotta take one for the team. AAAAAAchooooo! 'scuse me. sniffle, sniffle.

I couldn't take a sick day to fly my plane... yet. [8D]

Anywho, it's not my best work, but the turtledeck is covered. Tomorrow... pattern overlays (wow, exciting!).

And not to be discouraging, but you've still got another 15-20 hours work after the covering's done. But it's all good. Take your time, don't mess around with your new job, and maiden her on the 15th.

Can't see anything wrong with that turtle deck, but it's probably the hardest part of the plane to cover.

WHAT!!!! That looks great! There is nothing wrong with that covering job. (except it matches your furniture)

So nice to see someone with a plan, and sticking to it all the way through a build. I just can't do it, I always change stuff "on-the-fly".

Thanks guys, but that turtledeck really isn't that great. It's only just bad enough that you'd notice it if I took a closer shot of the thing, but it doesn't look bad from a few feet back.

I'm thinking I might try to get at least some of the starburst on the fin/rudder this morning before work. Depends how long it takes me to get everything together though. I'm feeling kinda slow this morning.

Covering looks fine. Besides, how many people get to fly an end table? [sm=bananahead.gif]