11 Weeks, my airplane is repaired. Two salvage elevators from Lowen, strip, inspect, repaint, new hardware etc. Internal parts looked good. Bungees were disassembled, cleaned, greased. Rigged. Should have invoice to send copy for insurance reimbursement tomorrow.
If you are wondering about the delay, there are several factors. Like most other shops, the one here is busy. Annuals booked months out. Anything else they try to fit people in. Several other planes were damaged in the same incident. They were in line before me as I was a day late. One of those repairs involves a new or very well kept Piper Saratoga that suffered damage to the stabilator, right wingtip, left wing and a big dent in the fuselage roof. Rumor is, $75-100k. Who gets more attention, a $10k job or $100k job?
The hangars themselves, the airport announced today the repair contract has been awarded, they will keep us advised when we can return.
Did the test flight yesterday after it cooled off to about 90*. I think it did as it should although in cruise flight the elevator counterweight, both sides, is slightly up rather than being in-trail. Up 1/2-3/4". Never paid attention previously but I think it was very close to being in trail. Maybe it is correct now, wrong before. Maybe it is my old, faulty memory. For you guys with C models, what does it look like, just you up front and no baggage?
I don't think I have ever left an airplane sit more than 3 weeks when something did not break or malfunction the next flight. Record is intact, ten minutes into the flight the 70A circuit breaker popped. Turned around and headed back. Near the airport, I pushed the breaker in, everything came back up. Voltage normal, gear down, flaps down, over the numbers it popped again. Accompanied by an electrical burning odor. 45 Seconds later it was pretty distinct when I shut the engine down. Never had a main CB pop before. Diodes, field windings, brushes, broken wires and voltage regulators, but never before the big CB. Didn't think that alternator had enough beans to trip 70A. It's going to be obvious when found. I'm betting a chaffed wire.