Starting the Journey: Winter Maintenance Gets Underway

As soon as Whiskey 7 touched down in Geneseo the mechanics got started getting the airplane ready for her trip next year. The first order of business was to do a compression check on all 28 cylinders while the engines were still warm. A compression check tests the seal of the valves and piston rings and gives a general indication of the health and wear of each cylinder. Checking all 28 took up a full afternoon. All of the inspection covers were removed so that the aircraft structure, cables, and wiring can be checked.

The next weekend (November 22nd) the airplane was put onto jacks to allow for the removal and inspection of the wheels and brakes. The mechanics removed the center floor section and the ailerons, both will be refurbished and repainted over the winter and started removal of the engine accessories from the left engine. Additionally, the voltage regulators and Emergency Locator Transmitter were pulled for replacement.

On December 9 the hydraulic regulator and accumulator assembly was removed from the airplane and mechanics also started removing two cylinders from our spare engine to be overhauled in case they are needed during the trip.

Check out the slideshow above for pictures and stay tuned for more updates!