Control systems progress

After primer, I riveted and installed the idler arm:

Riveted idler arm

Installed idler arm

and reamed and installed the brass bushings:

Control stick bases with reamed brass pushings

I also drilled the pushrod ends (not yet primed):

Pushrod with hole template attached

Main elevator pushrods drilled for the rod ends

Main elevator pushrods with rod ends and bearings

I attempted to drill the pushrod end for safety wire, and failed miserably - the 1/16" drill bit is just too thin, and it broke in the drill press, destroying the material around the hole and leaving drill bit bits buried into the part :/

Failed attempt at drilling safety wire hole

I ordered a new one, re-drilled the tube into it, and drilled the safety wire hole again - by hand, this time, so I could feel the pressure on the bit, and it turned out to be surprisingly well-aligned:

Safety wire hole through rod end

Next steps are priming the longer pushrods and installing the whole thing. As of this writing I don't have the tailcone attached (and don't have the horizontal stabs or elevators attached to that), so I can't adjust their length just yet.

Time lapse:

Total control system rivets: 9
Total control system time: 10.2h