Searey Number One Restoration Project
Follow along as Lifetime SPA member Bob Gibson and his team restore Searey number #1. We hope that the team's journey of restoring this historical aircraft will be entertaining, educational and inspiring for those of you that may wish to take on the restoration of a seaplane.
Part 41 Update May 2017
Jim Porter advertised – and SOLD – our old 80 hp Rotax engine at Lakeland Sun N Fun!! So, we now have more funds to put towards our zero-time factory overhaul 100 HP engine.
Part 30 Update June 2016
After months of disassembly, parts cleaning/repair/replacement, and sub-component reassembly, we reached a milestone in May – the ‘re-mating’ of the space frame to the hull! But, not without some challenges . . .
Part 27 Update March 2016
Searey "Hull Number One" (work completed in February 2016)
Part 25 Update January 2016
Work this month concentrated on hull preparation – we are almost ready to re-install the Space Frame ! !
Part 22 Update October 2015
Work this month concentrated on the" Space Frame", flight controls and hull reinforcement.
Part 21 Update September 2015
Work this month concentrated on the "Space Frame", flight controls and hull surfacing. As we continue this journey of restoration, we have come to realize that we are not restoring a production Seared to "new Seared" standards - we are restoring a PROTOTYPE aircraft!
Part 20 Update August 2015
Work this month concentrated on four items --- the instrument panel layout, main bulkhead, "space frame" and internal hull.