Brief Description: Initial installation of horizontal & vertical stab
After a very busy week looking after some family matters, I finally got some time in the shop. The day began with getting the horizontal stab positioned, match drilled, and bolted to the fuselage structure. This task was relatively easy but I took extra time checking and double checking my measurements to be sure the control slab was straight and true to the fuselage.
Positioning of the vertical stab was next and it was a little more difficult. The three bolt holes in the lower end of the vertical stab rear spar must be located by measurements (no prepunched holes) and then match drilled through a bulkhead and the tail-spring weldment. Measurements must be precise to ensure proper edge distance on the weldment and the lower hinge bracket. Again, I took extra time to be sure these holes were correctly marked and drilled.
Drilling the forward spar on the vertical stab to the mounting bracket and spacer was problematic. I trimmed the forward spar per the shop instructions before mounting the vertical stab (remove 9/16" from the bottom edge). Once mounted I found the spar was barely long enough to provide proper edge distance for the rivets attaching the spar to the mounting bracket and spacer. The length almost became a problem when the vertical stab was tilted slightly aft to get the rudder hinges in line. I would suggest leaving the spar at least 1/8" longer than the plans indicate (trim no more than 7/16").
