|
|
|
|
Rob's REBVAIR Project
|
Date: 1-24-2017
|
Number of Hours: 6.00
|
Manual Reference:
|
Brief Description: Elevator fiberglass tips: part 2
|
|
Finally completed elevator tip #2. As with the first example, the most challenging part is getting the ST-40 bracket to mate correctly with the elevator rib, without actually having access to that area. It requires a very specific sequence of drilling/fitting/removal/ to get everything to line up. Implicit in this excercise is finding the two elevator rib rivet holes behind the ST-40 (Image 1). What I did was add some partially set epoxy chromate to the surface of the ST-40 where it mates with the rib. After the epoxy sets, you pull off the assembly and are left with a virtual image of the rivet holes. Drill and you're done. It's all doable, but adds another 2 hours to each tip. I must say however, that with an ST-40 bracket in place, the elevator tip is really rigid, and much better equipped to withstand the constant down-force imparted by the relative wind when in flight.
I used rivnuts and screws on the ST-40, but in truth you may as well rivet it on, because if you ever had to service the tip, you have to drill out most of the rivets on the rib anyway, and if you do that, you can pull away the fiberglass rib, leaving the aluminum channel assembly still riveted the elevator.
All in all, the tips are clearly designed to be an extension of the elevator, but can only be added once the stabilizer and elevators are final-fitted to the aircraft. They have to come off completely if you need to remove or service the control surfaces. And you can't really use 20 screws and nutplates to hold them on lest you add too much weight back there. 2 tips done...only one left. Fabrication of these tips has definitely lost its novelty.
|
|
screws hold ST-40 against the elevator rib
|
|
2 down, one to go
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2001-2024 Matronics. All Rights Reserved.
|
