Adam thinks that the plane has been in the shop more than it should, given that it is a new plane. I’ll admit that a few of the times I would like to have taken Nell and the boys on a weekend trip we haven’t been able to go because the plane was having some work done, but here’s a list so far of the time it has spent in the shop:

1. initial oil change and checking; Kim Davidson Aviation found an oil leak that another shop had missed, so that was excellent; at the same time they installed the new muffler brace
2. water in the tank failed the fuel gauge for the right tank; Kim Davidson Aviation tried drying the tank for an afternoon; it didn’t really work and the gauge failed on the next flight
3. alternator resistor failed; Kim Davidson Aviation found it and fixed it
4. installation of the weather system; this took a week down at Western Avionics, I was in NYC for four of the days; they seemed to break the servo for the pitch trim (part of the autopilot) and I had to fly it back down to John Wayne; they have ordered a new one and it will probably go in on Monday or Tuesday
5. the plane is currently drying out its right tank again in Kim Davidson’s hanger; it’s raining this weekend, so it’s not a terrible loss; if this doesn’t fix the gauge they need to pull the wing off, which is no fun (and a guy from the factory will fly out to help)
6. the water in the tank prompted KDA to order a new filler cap for the right tank, but they installed that up at the tie-down

To me it seems like I am chasing one problem (water in the right tank) and dealing with the hassle of getting the weather installed, but other than that, it feels normal. I figured there would be four months of shaking little problems out. As long as it doesn’t become eight I’m happy.