After detaching the rudder and vertical stabilizer (hopefully for the last time before final assembly), I started to comply with SB 18-03-30. As previously mentioned, the elevators were at the high end of the required travel range (at 30˚ up, with the required range between 25˚-30˚), but at that position they weren't being stopped by the flanges of the horns, making compliance required:
Filed-down elevator stop angle in an attempt to comply with the SB
I measured, and if only the elevator stop angles hadn't been filed down to give the full range, then the horns would still touch them at the flange, and the movement would only be down to 28˚ up, still within the allowed range, so I removed the elevator stop angle and replaced it with a new but equal (just unfiled) part:
Removing the elevator stop angle
New unfiled elevator stop angle clecoed in place
New elevator stop angle riveted in place
I also opened up a bit of the rudder's leading edge to give room for the grounding strap without interfering with the attachment:
Grounding strap hidden behind the leading edge
Leading edge after removing additional material
New leading edge gap exposing the ground strap attachment point
Grounding strap attached to the rudder
Finally, I 3D printed the template to adjust the elevator pushrods:
3D printed elevator pushrod template with holes for clamping
Elevator pushrod template clamped in place
With this, the last steps on section 11 are now left for the final assembly at the airport.
We attached the empennage parts together (at least temporarily), starting with the stabilizers:
Horizontal and veritical stabilizers mounted in place
Fuselage, tailcone and stabilizers all together!
Full-airplane view with the stabilizers on
We attached the elevators, measured and adjusted their travel:
Elevators attached to the horizontal stabilizer
Lower travel limit at ~24˚
Upper travel limit at ~28˚
To get it to the target range (25° down, 30° up), I had to file down the elevator stops a bit:
Slots filed down to increase upper elevator range
Slot filed down to increase lower elevator range
Bottom view of elevator range slot
Final lower elevator travel at ~25˚
Final upper elevator travel at ~30˚
This, unfortunately, created the need to comply with SB18-03-30. It was only then that I realized - and Van's support confirmed, that I didn't need to do any of this :/ instead, the section on flight testing specifies a range of angles, and my original values were within that range, so I'll likely just replace that angle with one that's untrimmed.
With all the parts attached and adjusted, it looked pretty impressive, and gave a real sense of progress:
All empennage parts attached to the fuselage
I'll take advantage of having all these parts on to work on the empennage fairings, before I pull them out again, address the SB, and store them away until final assembly time.
We primed quite a few parts from various fuselage sections (and even some from the empennage attachment, and for rebuilding part of the vertical stabilizer):
Various fuselage parts after scrubbing with Prekote
Primed fuselage parts on the floor (ran out of space elsewhere)
Primed fuselage parts on the workbench
Primed fuselage parts on top of the fuselage
This unblocks a ton of work, so expect many more posts in the near future.
Time lapse:
Total time: 6.5h (but I'll count it towards each section instead)
I'm going back to finish section 11 in order to be done with all the tailcone drilling before attaching it to the fuselage, since it'd be quite a bit harder to do afterwards.
I installed the rod end bearings into the elevators:
Rod end bearing attached to elevator
I then attached the elevators to the horizontal stabilizer to match-drill the bearing into the elevator horns:
Elevator attached to horizontal stabilizer
Both required some adjustment (loosening up a half turn of the rod end bearings) for the bent-edge blind rivets not to catch on the rear spar rivets, but it was fine after that.
I attached both at the same time to drill the pushrod attachment bolt hole at the bottom:
Elevator horns attached to horizontal stabilizer bearing
Both elevators attached to horizontal stabilizer
Drilling the pushrod attachment hole on the elevator horns
I then removed the elevators and match-drilled the horizontal stabilizer to the tailcone:
Horizontal stabilizer aft holes attached to tailcone
Horizontal stabilizer forward holes attached to tailcone
Horizontal stabilizer attached to tailcone
Since I'm also working to rebuilding part of the vertical stabilizer, I also match-drilled the rear spar into the tailcone:
Vertical stabilizer rear spar attached to tailcone
I removed and put away the HS and VS, and will prime the shims on the next primer batch. After that, the next time I come back to this session will likely be for the final attachment.
Time lapse:
Total empennage attach rivets: 40 Total empennage attach time: 20.8h
and fabricated a bracket for the CPC connector (for trim servo and ELT wires):
Tail connector bracket attempt 1
I enlarged the main connector hole, and then realized that the 4 surrounding holes were completely misaligned with the rivnuts on the connector, so I started over :) this time starting with the connector hole, and getting much better results:
Tail connector bracket attempt 2
I cut the bracket, primed and riveted it to the main trim assembly:
Trim assembly with CPC connector
This position seems to be very convenient as it gives easy access to the connector through the aft deck holes (the downside is that the servo wires will need some splicing to reach the connector):
CPC connector in place
I also trimmed the elevator pushrod and drilled the headers using the technique recommended by Van's:
Drilled pushrod end
I primed the inside and outside of the pushrod and pushrod end, then riveted them together and finally installed it in the tailcone:
Elevator pushrod in place
Aft end of the elevator pushrod
Most next steps involve actually attaching the stabilizers, rudder and elevators, which I don't have room to do for now.
Time lapse:
Total empennage attach time: 9.2h Total empennage attach rivets: 26
While waiting for tailcone mod parts to arrive or for weather to prime it, I started the few items of section 11 - "Empennage Attach" - which can be done without having completed the tailcone. Also, given that some parts used in this section are only included in the fuselage kit, and given that I don't have room in the garage to keep the fully assembled empennage (and still work on a fuselage and wings) it'll be a long time until I really complete the section.
I fabricated the F-1098 shims:
Shims marked for cutting
I put together the trim mount bracket, and to keep the brackets aligned, I used reference lines before drilling them:
Trim brackets aligned for drilling
I then primed and riveted it all together:
Trim bracket and bellcrank riveted
I put together the trim servo link/spacer assembly:
Servo with link assembly
and then attached it to the bracket:
Trim mounted in its bracket, with the linkage and bellcrank attached
If you notice the two holes on the side of the trim bracket, that's for hanging an aluminum plate with a connector. My intention is to make a single connector for the servo (5 pins) plus the ELT (12 pins if I get the Kannad), but I haven't picked the proper connector yet.
Time lapse:
Total empennage attach time: 6.3h Total empennage attach rivets: 26
