Packing the Planes

It's time to start preparing the planes for transport. Here is a quick look at my process and hopefully in a couple days when I unpack,  you'll see both planes survive the journey to Switzerland!

I use a list of plane parts and check off items as I go. The planes are broken down and the stabs removed. This is my Oxai Galactik getting packed....   I remove the right stab tube bolts and pull the stab halves out leaving the tubes in the left stab. Makes for easy assembly :-)

 

The stabs are places in their covers for extra protection. Next I removed the spinner, prop and motor and then left the engine mounts in place. I then removed the gear and carefully wrapped them in foam
along with the spinner, back plate and bolts (in a plastic bag trapped inside the spinner).
 

The gear was placed on the battery tray and the battery straps employed as tie downs for the gear legs, prop and the spinner.  

 

Next the rudder servo horn is removed to reduce any possible shock transferring through the rudder should the box be dropped or jarred. Stripped gears are bad news!

The plane is wrapped up it it's custom cover... and yes the canopy was installed :-) I then grabbed the boxes that Stan Anderson made for me and laid in the foam.

 

I basically fit everything in with the fuse floating on layers of foam. The section by the canopy is wrapped up and foam is placed at the front and rear of the box. Wings, stabs and T-Can are added with foam separating all the parts with special care not to have horns poking into fuses etc. Everything will "float" inside although there is minimal room to go anywhere. Nothing is hard mounted to the box.




















I double checked that all parts actually made it into the box and then carefully close the box lid while capturing the foam around the fuse (dark foam) and rudder section. I then screwed the top down.

I will add some gorilla tape to the bottom section and then add a bunch of fragile stickers and this way up etc.... not that anyone looks at that stuff but it will make me feel better! One down, one to go. 

Meanwhile over at the Akimoto's house, little Keiko has packed all her stuffies and herself into Michi's box for the trip.  Apparently she is almost done :-)