May 26, 2020     Safety Directive 00001       Category: Empennage

Changed trim servo linkage to be compliant with Safety Directive 00001, minimizing side loads (and potential for bending) on output shaft. Added instrument panel nut plates and reinforcement for Garmin avionics.

  Jan 14, 2020     Completed tail cone       Category: Empennage

Completed riveting of tail cone skins. Ran strings that will be used to pull stabilator and rudder cables through rear bulkhead. Attached trim servo wiring to tail cone skin J-stiffeners and trial fit trim servo/actuator. This completes the empennage kit.

  Jan 13, 2020     Tail cone       Category: Empennage

With the new rear bulkhead assembled, final fitting to the stabilator was completed. This involved attaching the bulkhead to the stabilator with AN4 bolts through the bulkhead bushings. The appropriate number and thickness washers are fitted to achieve centering with minimal/no lateral play. The CNC machines must have been working well. A single washer on each side of the bushings was needed to achieve a good fit. The washers are then CA glued in place to allow easier final assembly.

Continued riveting tail cone skins

  Jan 12, 2020     Rear bulkhead       Category: Empennage

The rear bulkhead had been previously constructed, but concerns over small cracks induced by fluting the flanges necessitated building a new one. Parts arrived and new bulkhead drilled and riveted. Nutplates installed.

  Jan 09, 2020     Tail cone       Category: Empennage

Added static ports. These are rivets with the mandrel tapped out. Routed static port tubing per Garmin avionics instructions.

  Jan 08, 2020     AST servo       Category: Empennage

Assembled AST servo and actuator. Crimped d-sub pins and assembled connectors.

  Jan 07, 2020     Tail cone       Category: Empennage

Tail cone flipped upright and side skins fitted and riveted

  Jan 05, 2020     Tail cone       Category: Empennage

Began attachment of tail cone skins to bulkheads. At this point the tail cone is inverted, resting on two saw horses with bulkheads hanging down. Lots of clecos and rivets. It takes some practice to ""break"" skin edges to prevent them from lifting after riveting.

  Jan 04, 2020     Tailcone       Category: Empennage

Initial preparation of tail cone bulkheads and AST servo mount.

  Jan 03, 2020     Stabilator       Category: Empennage

Initial fitting of stabilator skins, followed by riveting skins in place.

  Jan 02, 2020     Stabilator       Category: Empennage

Continued stabilator spar assembly including counterweight mount and hinge points. The new control horn attachment can be seen here.

  Dec 29, 2019     Stabilator       Category: Empennage

Began construction of the stabilator spar. Control horn attachment has been modified since the recent service bulletin to address spar cracks. Added ribs

  Dec 28, 2019     AST       Category: Empennage

Assembled anti-servo tab. Construction was straight forward, once I figured out how to use the hinge hole template. Right and let tabs joined. Previous service bulletin for AST cracks incorporated during the build. Much easier than as a retrofit!

Added fiberglass fairing to vertical stab.

  Dec 26, 2019     Vertical Stab       Category: Empennage

Added nutplates for forward skin attachment. Clecoed, then riveted main vertical stab skin. First airplane part (almost) done!

  Dec 22, 2019     Rudder       Category: Empennage

Assembled rudder spar and frame. Riveted skins. Added trim tab

  Dec 19, 2019     Vertical Stab       Category: Empennage

First components of the build. Framed up the vertical stab, including rear spar doublers.