Crap... I had every intention to continue working on the rear spar preparation tonight.  Long story short, I fell asleep on the couch after I came home from work and by the time I woke up, it was to late to start anything in the garage so I figured I would take care of some miscellaneous activities with the plane (Oh yeah, and ensure I got my homework done for tomorrow nights class...  Gotta have my priorities ya know).

Anyhow, I went searching on the FAA's web site for possible tail numbers.  Everything I could think of was already registered to other aircraft.  The FAA's web site is really decent for searching and reserving registration numbers.  After some search queries, I found a number that will work AND wasn't already taken...

This number worked on several levels.  If my wife asks, the "TM" stands for her initials.  If my parents ask, the bottom explanation will be used.

I wanted to use our anniversary date "N22302" so that I would never be able to inadvertently forget that date (I have been absent minded from time to time with grave consequences, for example:  forgetting wife's birthday>>  That is a NO-NO!!).  However, our anniversary (and my wife's birthday) were already assigned.

The two FAA web sites needed to search and reserve an "N" number are listed below.  Numbers are reserved for a year at a time and cost $10 which they let you pay with a credit card over the net.  The FAA explains all of this on their web site.

FAA N-Number Registry search:  http://162.58.35.241/acdatabase/acmain.htm

FAA Aircraft Registration and Renewal:  http://registry.faa.gov/aircraft.asp#SpecialN-Number

After the FAA takes your money, they state that it will take 3+ weeks to confirm your reservation.  That is okay, I am plenty early on this.  I should have stated that the "10" in the N-Number represents the year that I will get this bird flying.

In case you haven't followed my log entries, I hate e-bay!!!  However, I did it again!  I bid on a 50' Semco hose for my sealant gun.  I don't know if I will use this that much.  I figure 50' will be plenty of hose when sealing the firewall and I won't have to drag around my heavy compressor hose.  The hose that came with the gun is really small and pliable, but short.

I happened to web surf to the FAA web site today and punch in the N-Number I requested a couple of days ago and MY NAME showed up...  I haven't got anything from the FAA yet, but since it is showing up in their system, I can only assume that they accepted my request.

This does not constitute a single rivet being set, but for some reason obtaining this N-Number reservation felt like real progress to eventually having an airplane...  Whoop-De-Dooo!!  COOL!!  It didn't take the FAA even close to the three weeks the web-site said it would.