The Bendix is unstuck, I can placard the ELT U/S for 30 days (and stick close to home) while trying to find a new antenna to replace the one knocked off by ice and/or wind, and I have new, better wing covers, so I’m almost ready to fly.
When I arrived at the airport last Saturday, the shop hadn’t plugged the heater back in, so I plugged it in for 90 minutes to warm up the engine and watched a bit of Hot Shots! (!) that was playing in the club lounge. Once the cylinders were warm to the touch, I fired the starter, but it wouldn’t turn the prop — the battery was flat. I plugged in the battery charger, then walked over to find my mechanic (who was working on building a new hangar) and asked him if he’d had to recharge the battery before starting my plane a few days earlier.
“Yep.”
OK, dead battery. To be fair, it was an old loaner from the shop a couple of years ago supposed to tide me over for a few weeks, and it never should have lasted this long. After 45 minutes still not enough charge to spin the prop, and the VRTUcar was due back soon, so I had to give up.
I’m getting a new battery this week, then hopefully everything will line up and I’ll be back in the air for the first time since mid September.
Land and Hold Short 
David, what did you do with your old, lesser wing covers?
Can an automotive battery be used in an aircraft?
The old wing covers are in my trunk (soon, in my garage) — they need some patching over tears, but they’re yours if you want them. There are places in Ottawa that can patch them up for you (anyone who does boat covers, etc.).
You can’t put a car battery in a plane, but you can use one to jump start a plane, assuming you have a 14v electrical system (as I do), and not a 28v electrical system like some newer planes have.
I haven’t been flying since September either. Anxious to get back in the air. A little more painful since I rent as I need to get “current” again on the schools aircraft. Boo.
My “buy an airplane” fund is slowly increasing in value 😉
Blake: “buy an aircraft” could mean an $8000 1/3 share in a PA-28-140, so maybe your fund is already there!
I have to second David here Blake. A good partnership is an easy transition from renting to owning, especially if you buy into a knowledgeable well run partnership. Just do your homework first.