Jul 25, 2021     11-7: Rudder attach - (2.2 hours)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

Had to move the empennage down to a lower table so that I could fit the vertical stab and rudder. It's 100 degrees outside so I wasn't going to get much done if I had to push it outside again. And not that the garage is much cooler but I was expecting a lot of iterations to get the rudder fit right.

Got the vertical stab bolted as before with no problem. Then screwed all the rod bearings into the rudder the 3/4” reference dimension shown in the plans. Starting at the top, got the upper bearing in the bracket. It is really tight and I found I had to use a wrench to slightly pry the steel attach brackets open. Once the rod was in, I had to hold the bolt with needle nose pliers and try to fish it in from the top. Not easy. Dropped a lot of bolts and had the kids near by to pick them up and hand them to me since I could not let go of the rudder. Once the top bolt was in, it was a bit easier but still tough.

Initial fit was rubbing along the skins toward the bottom and the measured movement was greater much greater than the 2 3/16”. So I turned the bottom rod out a few turns and re-installed. Took about six iterations of taking off and putting back on to get it right. No rubbing, free swinging, and seems to hit the stops right about the same time it hits stabilizer skin.

Big weekend! I would have rather been headed to Oshkosh but Section 11 is done for now. Will finish the trim during final assembly. On to the fiberglass work!

  Jul 25, 2021     11-8 thru 11-10: Trim assembly - (2.8 hours)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

With all the trim parts primed, I moved on to assembly of the entire trim mechanism. Riveted the smaller pieces to the mount bracket and then installed the trim bellcrank. Plans call for narrow spacer washers but it was a little tighter than I wanted. Plans suggest reducing the thickness of those washers so I put them on the belt sander. Not easy to thin up already thin washers but I did get a fit I was happy with.

Installed the trim servo and servo link. Plans call for AN960-4L washers on the link pins. I looked all through my hardware and then through the inventory list and found no reference whatsoever to these washers. They were not in the kit. Quick search on Vansairforce and found the answer - the washers are with the hardware in the Ray Allen servo box.

Installed the trim cables to the assembly and then worked to mount the whole thing in the plane. Major pain to route those cables through the HS and out the holes in the elevator. There are a series of snap bushings and very tight access. Basically blindly pushing and feeling. Got it all through finally but the holes in the deck did not align with servo bracket. Just 1/32” off but it was not budging. Plans mention potential binding of the cables against the flange of the F-1014 deck but that wasn't it. The servo bracket was hitting the F-1011 bulkhead. No choice but to remove the whole assembly I had just spent so much time installing and shaving a little off the bracket for clearance. Then re-install. I thought the second time would go faster, but no. Still a pain.

Finally got it all in and the screws aligned and installed. As I was tightening the screws I thought if I should go ahead and fully tighten them and put torque seal on the heads. Then I realized the only way to get the HS off is to remove this whole assembly again. I decided any further work on the trim system should wait until final assembly.

  Jul 24, 2021     11-6 & 11-7: Elevator pushrod install - (1.2 hours)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

Got the horizontal stabilizer re-installed on the tailcone. Installed the elevator pushrod which meant also bolting the two elevators to each other for the first time and getting to see them move together. I also see that they are slightly out of alignment. Less than 1/16” at the tip of the counterbalance, probably tough to get it any better than that. I had the two elevator taped in trail with duct tape, but I should have actually put a clamp on them when I drilled the common attach hole.

Cut the template and adjusted the final length on the pushrod.

Checked the elevator throws again and was 28 degrees up and 23 down. I was able to file the up stop and get it to 30 degrees, but the down stop is tough to get to. That one is going to take some more filing to get to 25 degrees down.

  Jul 24, 2021     Priming - (1.5 hours)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

Prepped and primed what is hopefully the last batch of items for the empennage. Mostly small parts for the trim assembly, but also took care of the AHRS bracket and the fairing skins below the horizontal stabilizer.

  Jul 21, 2021     11-8: Trim servo bracket prep - (1.8 hours)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

After a few days out of the shop it was good to get back to some fabrication. Made the trim belcrank brackets and cable attach brackets from angle stock per the plans. Plans say to be very careful that the 1/4” hole and #30 hole in the bellcrank bracket align perfectly. That stressed me out because it's hard to get perfect even in the drill press. I figured the alignment of the holes between the two brackets is what is really important so in addition to measuring and marking the holes, I match drilled them between the two brackets. We'll see how it comes out when it is all assembled.

Plans say to round the corners of the servo spacer to fit inside the larger bracket. Really had to be aggressive with the rounding to get it to fit. Got everything cleco'd in and match drilled the brackets.

7/22: got a little done before work. Countersunk the #30 holes in the spacer and #40 holes for nut plates in the bracket. Deburred everything and it's ready for priming.

  Jul 17, 2021     11-6: vertical stab attach - (0.6 hour)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

Rolled the whole assembly outside this morning and mounted the vertical stab. It fit right into place and was able to slip the top bolts in place. Match drilled the middle holes and countersunk the very bottom ones. Temporarily installed all the hardware and sat back to admire. It will come back apart very soon.

I was able to confirm the routing of the VOR antenna conduit so I can install another one hole conduit clamp.

  Jul 16, 2021     11-5: Horizontal stab attach - (1.3 hours)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

What seemed like a big milestone step was pretty uneventful. The prep work was done, just needed to cut a block of wood to clamp between the forward attach brackets and then measure for alignment. I started measuring with a string, but it had too much stretch to it. Ended up using safety wire. Even though the wire is not perfectly straight, it would not stretch no matter how hard I pulled. I was satisfied that the stabilizer was on square and then drilled the four bolts. That was it. HS mounted.

Bolted the forward attach plate for the the vertical stabilizer and was going to mount it too, but the ceiling got in the way. It's too tall for the garage!

I'll have to wheel the whole assembly outside tomorrow to install the VS. it's really just for the photo opp anyways as it is all immediately going to be taken apart so I can go back to the beginning of the section when my elevator control horns hopefully finally arrive soon.

  Jul 15, 2021     11-4: Horizontal stab attach - (1.5 hours)       Category: 11: Emp Attach

Deburred and confirmed final drilling of the holes in the vertical stab attach plate. Then fabricated the spacers from bar stock. Attached the spacers with doubled sided duct tape.

Flipped the HS up on top of the tail cone and cleco'd the rear attach brackets in place. Then final drilled the #12 holes and temporarily installed the AN3 bolts.

How exciting.