Empenage Attachment Pt.2

Rudder attached and rudder stops trimmed. Interior Paint and flight controls are next...

Tailfeathers Get Fitted...

Front view looking Aft.

Here the left and right elevators have been temporarily fitted and bolted in place. I must now trim the elevator stops to allow for the recommended Up and Down travel.

Empennage Attachment Pt.1

Here the Horizontal Stabilizer has been temporaily bolted in place and the Vert Stab has been squared.

We are celebrating the mounting of the Tail. Harray!

Horizontal Stab all drilled,deburred, and temp bolted in place. It was squared and leveled to 0.0 degrees, (Dead On, No kiding), with my digital level. I was very pleased with everything .

I spent hours checking and rechecking everything as I drilled each attachment bolt hole..

Empennage Time Sheet and Schedule

Start-Empennage

9-12-06
Inventory Kit
Start Horizontal Stabilizer Time -10hrs.

9-13-06
Vertical Stabilizer
Rudder Time-12hrs.

9-14-06
Start Right and Left Elevator
Start Trim Tab Time-10hrs.

9-15-06
Horizontal Stabilizer
Vertical Stabilizer Time-10hrs.

9-16-06
Rudder
Right Elevator Time-12hrs.

9-17-06
Left Elevator
Trim Tab Time-10hrs.

Horizontal Stabilizer Done

All of the empennage work took place at Alexander Tech. They offer a one week "Boot Camp" course on aircraft sheet metal work to give RV builders a boost.
Here is their website- http://www.buildtofly.com/dotnetnuke/
I would highly recommend this class to anyone interested in building an RV.

Right Elevator

Rudder completed in the cradle

Just finished rolling and riveting together the top edges.

Right Elevator

Vertical Stabilizer

Clecoing

Horizontal Stab in Jig

Underneath Trim Tab

Trim Tab

Left Elevator w/trim tab

Using the Manual Rivet Squeezer

Riveting

Using the Pneumatic Rivet Squeezer

Band Saw

Clecoing stiffners to rudder skin

Drilling