1. Tanking -- They are using two ferry tanks with a separate header tank for vapor return. This is a little unusual but was the only way they could meet the various requirements of CG, volume and ability to get the tanks into and out of the plane. In fact, Rob says he'll probably have to be there when the tanks come out to show you the technique needed. Evidently it is a tight fit. The tank to which vapor returns (fuel, actually) will also have a selector valve, so as it fills, he will be able to use it for the engine. This requires keeping a table of on and off times, standard stuff anyway for the business, to be sure he doesn't vapor return more to the tank than it can hold. Bottom line-- The Cirrus is a tough plane to tank for the Pacific but they have done it. Total fuel, wings and ferry, will be 213 gallons. The winds will have to be good for the Honolulu leg for this to work out with a reasonable fuel reserve.

2. HF -- done.

3. Oil system -- done.

4. Paperwork -- not done and more complicated than I thought. There is more to this than I had understood and I still do not understand it after Rob's brief explanation. The FAA is operating under a more strict policy now since evidently airplanes have been coming and going overwater without the proper paperwork. Since the paperwork was started showing Rob's company initially owning the plane, that is what they want him to continue with. He has the artilces of incorporation now that they wanted and it has gone to the FAA today. This is normally a 48 hour process, so the earliest would be Friday our time before the "fly by wire" is issued, allowing the plane to be exported. There is a good liklihood that it will be delayed over the weekend, however. Looks like next Tuesday would be the earliest he could head for Hawaii, with Wednesday also a possibility if the winds are OK. I know you're all very excited about getting the plane, and tired of delays, but remember that it has only been 5 days since the plane got to California and one of those days was Sunday when no one was working. In actuality, a lot has been done for this first-of-its-kind tanking.

For certain now, Rob will leave either from Monterey or Santa Barbara. I told him that if the plane is done and the winds are bad to come down here and stay with us. He is going through $80 per night in a hotel waiting for all this to be completed, so when it is, I thought he might like to live in a home again and eat non-restaurant meals!

Also, only one of the removed seats will be carried in the plane and the rest will be shipped. They go out tomorrow and will arrive before he does. There was just not enough CG capacity to get the other seats in as far aft as they have to be to fit.

Bill