Drat and double drat!

To use those immortal words. I still haven’t flown since I refitted 56NE’s prop but I don’t mind too much as the rather brisk northerly breezes have persisted ever since. Instead, as some thundery showers are possibly now being forecast for the end of the week (Friday maybe, but certainly going into Saturday) I decided that my time would be better spent on finishing off 56NE’s heavy new wing covers, since as I found out the last time it rained, MYRO’s old ones, which are on at the moment, are nowhere near waterproof. As you can see below, I’ve cleared a space in my lounge for the job as the wing covers are not only pretty big but also a bit stiff and inflexible to work on.

I had two sewing machine needles left when I started yesterday and one of those broke yesterday afternoon when I was turning the cover in the machine. So although I ordered some more the other day, I’ve been very careful with my last one ever since. Well, I was sewing away happily a few minutes ago and there was an ominous loud bonk which I immediately knew signalled the end of the needle and therefore the end of sewing for today. And not just today, until the new needles arrive actually, which could be tomorrow if I’m lucky but is more likely to be Thursday. I doubt that’ll give me enough time to finish the covers off in time before the rain arrives, so it’s a bit irritating. But c’est la vie, I suppose. The upside is that I might just as well go and buy some more fuel and go flying, nothing else for it. Can’t think of a better way to pass the time while I wait for the new needles to arrive 🙂

I’ve just come back at 6.45 pm to say that I could kick myself. I drove up to Rouffignac this afternoon and bought some petrol so I now have a fresh 20 litres of fuel for 56NE. When I got back I checked out some video stuff, had a leisurely meal and then took Toddie out for a stroll around the estate. I’ve now realised that it’s a perfect flying evening – it’s still over 30 degrees Celsius but the heat of the day has passed and the wind, which has been quite brisk all day, has fallen away to nothing. If I’d been paying more attention, I could have hoofed it over to Galinat and got a flight in. Sunset isn’t until 8.30 pm but by the time I’ve got myself organised, driven there, taken all the covers off and fuelled and pre-flighted the aircraft, I’d be pushing myself for time.

Stupid – there’s a chance that the same thing could happen tomorrow but it’s the wind that is the wild-card at the moment. It didn’t drop last night the way it has this evening, so what’s the chance it will again tomorrow? Only way to find out is to pay a bit more attention 😐