Ugly duckling will soon be envy of the flock
It may look hideous at the moment - that is unless you happen to like avocado green primer - but just you wait. The AOPA Sweepstakes Commander Countdown airplane is about to go through an amazing transformation.
All the cracked and warped thermoplastic parts - the wing tips, dorsal fin fairing, and elevator tips - have been removed. New parts from Globe Fiberglass of Lakeland, Florida, will be installed soon.
Speaking of Lakeland, Master Aircraft Painters at Wickenburg Municipal Airport in north-central Arizona is on a pretty tight schedule, since your Commander Countdown is supposed to be sitting pretty beside the big AOPA tent at Sun 'n Fun April 12-18.
Besides all the other exciting modifications we've mentioned in the past, the airplane will also have some tricks to improve slow-speed handling. See the latest restoration update.
March 28, 2005
