Everything's finished on the empennage except for the fiberglass tips for the vertical stabilizer, rudder, horizontal stabilizer and elevators. I plan to wait and do all of the fiberglass work (empennage, wing tips and cowling) at the same time.
Started today by mounting one of the elevators to the horizontal stab. A portion of the skin on the horizontal stabilizer has to be trimmed to allow the elevator counterbalance arm full travel. Marked and trimmed that area (picture 1).
Next a hole has to be drilled through the elevator horn that allows a bolt to secure both elevators through the center bearing of the horizontal stabilizer. I placed a bushing inside the race of the bearing to protect the race from the drill and to also be a guide for the location of the hole in the horn (picture 2). I also had to remove part of the lower flange of the rear HS spar to allow the elevator full travel.
Removed that elevator and installed the second on and repeated the above process on that side. Reinstalled the elevators and inserted the bolt through the bearing and both elevator horns to measure the elevator travel. Everything came out great. I'll take everything apart and store them until it's time to attach the empennage to the fuselage.
This portion of the skin has to be removed to allow the counterbalance full travel.
Drilling the RH elevator horn through the rear bearing (note brass bushing)
