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Kupe's Zodiac 650B
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Date:  8-24-2017
Number of Hours:  3.00
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Tail Section Integration 9

Continuing the tail disassembly, today I decided it was finally a good time to install the horizontal tail (HT) tips. It was recommended in my HomebuiltHelp video to delay this step until nearing final assembly to avoid damaging either one of the tips and with this disassembly being the last time I pull the tail apart, I figured this is a good time.

It was a four part process I'll repeat for the right side. Step one is install the tip rib to the aft edge of the HT - a simple 4-rivet attachment.

Step two is to make sure the tips fit into the HT skin, top & bottom, deeply enough to match the existing rivet holes. Not much work here except a little filing of some rough edges on the fiberglass tip.

Step three is to drill out the tip. For the front half of the tip, I simply secured the tip in place with duct tape and match-drilled the holes already CNC'ed into the HT skin. The aft half of the tip is different because the aluminum tip rib fits inside the fiberglass tip. For this I drew a rivet line on the fiberglass tip that continued from the already-drilled front half and sighted my rivet hole locations by matching the rivet spacing in the adjacent elevator.

Step four is rivet it all together. I should add that the the spacing between the tip rib and the elevator should be at least 2mm - mine is 3mm.
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Left side tip rib riveted into place.

Left side tip rib riveted into place.

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Left fiberglass tip drilled out and clecoed in place.

Left fiberglass tip drilled out and clecoed in place.

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Completed left horizontal tail tip installation.

Completed left horizontal tail tip installation.

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