BAF - Elevator Construction

E-mail:

bill (at) repucci (dot) com

Elevator construction
Caution - Man running (with) power tools

E The elevator skin and stiffeners getting match drilled. Note the cleco's holding everything to the table and the duct tape Holding it open. I can truly say I used duct tape to build my airplane. ;) (6/9/03)

F Sometimes you have to get creative in the construction process. Here I'm using some scrap wire to hold the left elevator open for riveting. (7/12/03)

E Test fitting the trim tab to the left elevator for the first time. (9/23/03)

F Fitting the trim tab piano hinge to the right elevator trim spar. (10/2/03)

E One of the most difficult part to building the elevators and rudder is riveting the trailing edge together without warping it. The trick is to glue the trailing edge together and hold it straight with a section of angle aluminum. When the glue dries you remove the angle and carefully rivet it together. (10/5/03)

F Larry Turner holding the elevator up after attaching it to the HS for the first time. You can see the trim tab deflecting downward. (10/11/03)

E Larry and I holding the entire empennage together. This sure is going to be a good sized airplane when it is finished. (10/11/03)

F Sometimes I just get lucky. For some reason I never installed the WD-415 trim cable anchor and wouldn't you know it, Van's came out with service bulletin SB 06-9-20. In order to comply with the SB, I bought two anchors from Rivethead and gave one to a friend who has an RV-7A. Here's the link: http://www.rivethead-aero.com/rv10_005.htm. Of course being made of aluminum, it was treated in the same manor as the rest of the aluminum parts. (5/18/07)