After a 6hr delay for severe icing Saturday March 17 Mike Mahar and I in
LC30 N177ME departed CGF to spend a week using Lancair's jigs on my
Legacy s/n 34.  While descending into RAP the vac pump (airborne)
failed.  (It only drives the AI and did have 850hrs on it).  Luckily the
field mechanic was at home when we called and was willing to drive in
and sell us a new pump.  Mike and I had the top three nuts off by the
time Drew(?) from WestJet arrived but the funny noises we were making
trying for the 4th nut prompted him to ask if we wanted the "miracle
tool".  A quick yes made me think how this was going to work, but when
he handed the wrench to me it was truly a miracle! It fit around the
pump and let you loosen the nut from directly behind the pump! That made
quick work of the job but we asked a local expert to find a place for us
to spend the night.  The motel "van" that picked us up turned out to be
a stretch limo!! (Between jobs and all the vans were out).  The real van
ride back to the airport Sunday morning and flight out were uneventful
(we made a VFR detour to Mt Rushmore before picking up our IFR.)

Sunday night Steve, Jim, Mike, Mike & I went out to the desert and shot
up some cans and had a great time being hosted by the locals.  Saw a
tree that had been hit by lightning and was badly burned and 1000 year
old Indian mounds. 

Monday we trimmed and prepped both wing skins and had them both closed
by 3pm.  Started trimming the elevator.  There is another Legacy builder
from Luxembourg and an ES builder from SFO.  We went over to Steve's shop
that night and were extremely impressed by the first class operation he
has built there. 

Tue we closed the elevator, clecoed the center section to the fuselage,
and prepped the rudder.  The forth builder in our group is on his second
week working on his Walther 4p.  He had all his windows, door and flight
controls in place by Friday! I flew the Legacy for the first time with
"the" Don, and am wildly excited how light the controls are at 220kts
IAS at 8k feet. 

Wed we finished the elevator, checked the travel and installed it.  Mike
did his insurance check ride with Orin by way of the Columbia factory. 
No photos were permitted in the glass room where ~150 people poured
around molds working feverishly.  The factory is huge with over 250
people employed and is close to producing one aircraft every week. 

Thur we closed the rudder and built the landing gear.  I flew in the SFS
c210 and was impressed enough to put a deposit on a FADEC IFR "top gun"
Lancair quick build panel.  You will see a demo of it at SNF sitting in
my aircraft. 

We had everything that required jigs done and with some weather coming
into Cleveland Saturday we elected to fly home Friday heading north
around all the icing.  4hrs into FAR were it was VERY cold and other
2hrs at 360kts into CGF.

Now the wait for SNF where Lancair will show off my kit and after the
show I get to take it home and start on the bodywork!