This has been a frustrating day.

I spent most of yesterday and this morning at the hangar, working on the aircraft’s annual inspection, which I had started back before our week in Sedona. I was making steady progress, and hoped to do the first RV-8 flight since the accident either late this afternoon, or Tuesday evening. Yesterday I inspected the tail surfaces, wings and aft fuselage. This morning I greased the main landing gear wheel bearings, and started inspecting ahead of the firewall.

At lunch time, I ran into Alfio, an RV-9A builder from Carp who had flown down to get some of Smith Falls’ cheap gas. I mentioned my frustration at still being in the flight test phase more than one year after first flight, and that I hoped to get the aircraft flying again today or tomorrow. Alfio questioned whether my Flight Authority was still valid - I honestly didn’t know, as I hadn’t looked at it since August 2008. I thought they remained valid as long as the required maintenance was done. Alfio thought the initial one with the flight test phase limitations was only valid for one year, and that you didn’t get the one that didn’t expire until you had finished the flight test phase.

After lunch, I pulled the Flight Authority out of its envelope in the baggage compartment, and found that Alfio was right - it was only valid for 365 days, and that period expired in mid August. Drat. Double Drat. Many bad words were spoken, then I closed the hangar door and left in disgust. I was in a foul mood for a couple of hours, but have snapped out of it. Now I have to contact the MD-RA and find out what I need to do to get a new Flight Authority. Hopefully this won’t take too long, as we are having some wonderful weather, and I know it won’t last forever. I fear I may need another official inspection, which may take some time to organize.