Installing the Tail Numbers

The registration number (a.k.a. tail number or N-number) has to be attached before the airplane flies.  As such, we ordered vinyl decals to use before we paint.  The number will eventually be painted on.  I got the 12″ version, erroneously thinking that 12″ numbers were necessary to travel to Canada.  They’re not, so I could and should have used the 3″ version.  Oh, well.

We did the left side first and ended up with some pretty bad air bubbles and a couple creases in the number.  It wouldn’t be  acceptable if it was a permanent installation, but we (read: mostly Kelly) figure it’s okay until we paint, sometime next year.  The right side went much better, since we used more soapy water, which gave more time to arrange the letters and get the bubbles out.