Better with a fid

With a splicing fid, a better splice you can make.

The eye splice looks so much better than a knot.  This end of the tow rope is now done.  I will simply take the splicing fid on the first flight to put the eye splice in the other end, lest I unravel 1000ft of rope and can't get it back on the spool as cleanly!  If the weak link turns out to be too strong, tying a single loop in each end (rather than having a loop double) will halve the force.

To-do's before the first flight are now:

• figure out how all of Goat parts transport together
  
• take all of Goat for its first trip around the neighborhood 
• finish weld the upper rail to the vertical supports -- need Argon
• finish weld the frame joints -- need Argon
• UV paint on the plywood decking -- paint arrived
• put eye splices in tow rope ends
• sort out plane-side weak link and release
• do a very thorough pre-flight check
• do a weight & balance
• get radios -- need 1x airborne, 1x in car

Deferred until after the first-flight:

• leather patch to wing tips where will rub the ground
• leather patch guides for elevator control lines
• trim color paint
• wing root kiss seal
• main strut fairings
• jury strut fairings
  
• emergency parachute
  
• drogue chute
• variometer