Month: May 2017

Horizontal Stabilizer – Part 5 

Brian 0 Comment Horizontal Stabilizer

With my angle-drill tool in hand, I finished drilling the last few holes in the HS.  Next, I spent what seemed like a lifetime taking everything apart and getting it deburred.  I debated not even posting a timelapse, but finally decided to post a VERY sped up video.  The fact that I was able to do it in small chunks in the evenings did help a bit so I didn’t loose my mind. I need to install a stereo or get some headphones to help pass the time.

I did have some company for a bit and finally gave my girls their own “toolbox” projects so they got to spend some time with Dad working on their own projects.

 

Horizontal Stabilizer – Part 4

Brian 0 Comment Horizontal Stabilizer

With some assistance from my cousin (also a Pilot and A&P) we were able to start assembling the Horizontal Stabilizer.  Getting the nose ribs in the skins was a bit of a pain, but that may have been due to my use of the straps vs the plywood cradle suggested in the plans.  As other builders have commented, we needed a LOT of clecos to get the skin attached well.  Basically a lot of “rinse and repeat” from this perspective and it was very nice to have another aviation enthusiast helping on the build.  This is always the cool part where things are starting to look like real parts, vs the work on the spar and ribs.

We figured out how the stringers go together and got them inserted into the ribs without too much fuss.  The remainder of the week was me match drilling one section at a time.  As stated in the plans, just come up with a methodology to get everything correctly matched drilled.

This is also the point where you really need to have an angle drill or angle drill attachment in order to drill the holes on the front spar attachment bracket.  I was personally hoping that my craftsman cordless angle drill would be sufficient, however it was still too big to access these holes.  So an order for the appropriate tool is in and hopefully it will arrive shortly.

At this point I have match drilled all of the holes and once the attachment bracket is drilled, I can begin the process of deburring.

 

Networking and opportunities to fly

Brian 0 Comment Instrument

While not “technically” part of my IFR training, I was given an opportunity to fly in a TBM 700 as it was being delivered to it’s new owner.  Basically the conversation with my friend went something like this:

Friend:  “Hey, you want to go for a flight in a TBM tomorrow”?

Me:  “Are you serious?  If you are I can totally be available.”

Friend:  “Yes I’m serious.”

Next I took to youtube to get a bit more familiar with the TBM.  Not that I was expecting to do anything, but more so I could follow along without asking so many questions.  I brought my flight bag with me but was a bit nervous mounting cameras since this wasn’t my plane and ended up just taking some photos from my cell phone.  (I’m trying to be respectful of the new/old owners as well as to my friend by keeping identifying information out of my posts / photos.  I wanted to share how awesome the aviation community is, not get anyone upset.)

Did practice some of my IFR clearance copying skills and helped out on the radios and got a little bit of time “hand flying” the plane.  Biggest takeaways?  Flight Directors are VERY COOL, the plane is fast, and the controls are heavier than I expected.  I would LOVE to own one of these, or be in a partnership where I could have access to it, but for now this is outside of my financial means.  Doesn’t mean I can’t dream.

 

 

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Horizontal Stabilizer – Part 3

Brian 0 Comment RV10

In prep for the weekend, I tried to get a few things completed on the Horizontal Stabilizer.  First I went to match-drill the ribs on the front spar, only to realize that I had mounted the ribs in the last video on the wrong side.  Honestly I just clecoed them on to get an idea of what it would look like.

Flipping over the rib, I mounted all the ribs and completed all my match drilling.  I did notice a few rivets that I needed to address.  Decided to go “off plans” and build a cradle using nylon webbing.  This did make it slightly more difficult to get the nose ribs riveted to start with, but ended up making it easy to tilt the stabilizer a little bit as I assemble things.

Got the skins prepped and in the cradles, then went back to the spar and ribs to get them marked and the ribs fluted.  Once the ribs were off the spar, I could address those rivets that needed to be replaced.

Horizontal Stabilizer – Part 2

Brian 0 Comment Horizontal Stabilizer, RV10

This is a bit of a fragmented post due to weather, and family schedules.  While waiting for the tank sealant to cure on the trailing edge of the rudder, I began to fabricate the Horizontal Stabilizer front spar attachment brackets from some stock angle aluminum.  (Page 8-3: Step 3-4).  Next was trimming and deburring the spar caps and stringers (Page 8-4).  This all happened in fits and spurts over a number of days (as witnessed by multiple outfit changes in the timelapse).

Next was the assembly of all the parts of the Front Spar to match drill and deburr.  At this point I was stuck until the weather allowed me to prime all the parts. (Page 8-5)  Moving forward I started to trim the inspar ribs, and get all the ribs deburred.  (Page 8-6, 8-7).  As noted by others, on Page 8-7 there is no longer a need to cut holes in the nose ribs as Vans has added lightening holes in all the nose ribs at the factory.

Finally I had time and the weather was nice enough for me to go back and prime the Front Spar so I can start riveting it together.   I’m hoping to build cradles for the HS this week in prep for this weekend.