Stage 2 - Turn the parts into a glider

Back at Sterling it is not quite as cold as the November day the gliders were decommissioned, but not far off. The fuselage slides out the trailer. Any remaining old dried grease is removed from control services and new grease added. A minor dispute on the relative value of bicycle grease and Vaseline is not resolved. The wings go on with just a little to and fro motion to line up the holes for the main spar and to connect the control surfaces. The main spar takes a little persuasion with a rubber mallet. The aileron pins are lined up to be able to take the safety wire and the (??? pins) are oriented with the bend in the metal pointing to the wing. Cotter pins and safety wire go into all the appropriate locations.

Then it is the stabilizer to go back on, reattaching the control pins that were just a little troublesome to remove a couple of hours earlier. Reversing the previous procedure, the lock is inserted facing up, twisted down - and of course, secured with safety wire.

At this point I was called away to haul gliders around, which did give the opportunity to film Scott demonstrate his coast guard training with a perfect truckers hitch.