Brief Description: Empennage to Fuselage Assembly 6
Now that the horizantal stab is all bolted in place, it is time to move on to the vertical. The normal RV-6 tail has no offset, but the larger RV-7 tail is supposed to have 1/4" offset of the vertical stab leading edge. This is to reduce the need for rudder trim at cruise.
Sice the attach plate from my kit was for an RV-6 tail, I had to fab a new plate out of 0.063 2024 to include the offset. I made the plate a bit oversize (can always make it smaller, hard to go the other way..), but the plate matches the general configuration of the part supplied in RV-7 kits. If I ever find I don't need the offset, I can just fab a new plate.
I match drilled the new plate to the horizontal stab and then clamped the vertical in place. From here I worked to get the stal plumb and to make sure the hinge line was true. I used a plumbob in the holes for the hinge bolt for reference. I alos double-check with a level and measurements to the horizontal. I fit the rear spar mounting angle in place and clamped it with everything in alignment.
More to come in another entry.
New (unfinished) vs Kit vertical stab front spar attach plates
