Second coat

Not much to show of a second coat of paint.  It's more consistently gray.

A good friend looked at the nose release and called it functional.  The conversation quickly zeroed in on if there was a more secure way to hold the release pin than the two hair-ties.  This may be a case of perfection is the enemy of good enough, however.  It works.

Summer weather of extreme heat, humidity, and direct sun has arrived in force.  To hide from the heat, I'm taking a second look at the strut fairings.  These aren't required for the first flight, so consider that I could be stalling a bit.  No pictures today.

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

1. figure out how all of the Goat parts transport together -- lower wing, horizontal tail
2. take all of Goat for its first trip around the neighborhood 
3. finish weld the upper rail to the vertical supports -- need Argon
4. finish weld the frame joints -- need Argon
5. do a very thorough pre-flight check
6. do a weight & balance
7. get radios -- need 1x airborne, 1x in car

Deferred until after the first-flight:

• leather patch on wing tips where they 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