April 7, 2012 (2 Hrs)

Today I attached the horizontal stabilizer to my workbench and placed the spacer block under the rear spar.  I temporarily attached the left elevator and checked that it rotated freely before I checked the 30° “UP” and 25° “DOWN” elevator travel.  Everything cleared and was even able to go pass the recommended degrees of travel.  I secured the elevator in the trail position using duct tape and found the E-Drill Bushing.  I stuck it in my electric drill and used a file to get the diameter down to 0.250” and sandpaper to smooth it out.  I inserted the E-Drill Bushing into the VA-146 Elevator Center Bearing and match-drilled the Left Elevator Horn (WD-605-L-1) using an 11/64” drill.  Then I removed the left elevator, final-drilled the hole using a 1/4” drill bit, and deburred the hole.  The whole process was then repeated on the right elevator.  I went ahead and tightened down the jam nuts before reinstalling both elevators back onto the horizontal stabilizer.  I secured both of them in the trailing position and installed the hardware into the Elevator Center Bearing (VA-146) and the Elevator Horns.

    

    

April 1, 2012 (4 Hrs)

Today I installed all the hardware that was called for on the back of the tailcone and torqued each one before I marked them completed.

      

Next I final-drilled the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) and the Vertical Stabilizer Tip Fairing (VS-1009) using a #30 drill.  Then I removed them and deburred all the skins and countersink the fiberglass fairings.  I clecoed them back in place but I will probably not rivet it until I get it assembled at the hanger.

    

    

Finally as a bonus I got some extra help clecoing the Aft Top Skin (F-1075) in place, LOL!!!

    

    

March 26, 2012 (5 Hrs)

I came home tonight and started sanding down the dried flocked cotton fiber I had put on the Lower Rudder Fairing (R-1011) until it almost looked like one part.

    

Then I trimmed off the excess fiberglass around the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) and sanded it all down.  There is now a nice transition from the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) to the Elevator Tip Fairings (E-912) and everything clears.

    

    

    

I trimmed and sanded the Vertical Stabilizer Tip Fairing (VS-1009) and fit it into the Vertical Stabilizer assembly.  It comes up short of the vertical edge that it’s suppose to be flush with so I laid up more layers of fiberglass to hopefully get it to line up correctly.

    

March 21, 2012 (5 Hrs)

After some reading and watching different videos I was ready to make my first attempt at laying up fiberglass on the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) and the Vertical Stabilizer Tip Fairing (VS-1009).  However my first attempt did not go as well as I had hoped because it was very wavy.  So I ripped it off and cut out new foam ribs to start over with.  The second time came out much better and I was very pleased with the results.  I did the best I could removing the foam ribs and cleaning out everything I could possible reach.  For the next step I laid up three pieces of glass fiber inside each Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairing (HS-910) and allowed them to dry over night.  I also mixed up some flocked cotton fiber with epoxy and filled in the area where the gelcoat had broken out of the Lower Rudder Fairing (R-1011) and where the tail light adapter meets the fairing.  I let it dry overnight and will sand it down later.

    

March 12, 2012 (5 Hrs)

Tonight I went back to the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) and began measuring and gradually cutting away the aft ends until I had a 1/8” gap between the aft edge of the tip and the forward face of the elevator counterbalance arm.  I sanded and smoothed all the edges before I began cutting foam pieces out and shaping them to fit inside the tips.  Once I had a smooth transition from the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) to the Elevator Tip Fairings (E-912), I was ready to start closing them up with fiberglass.

    

    

March 9, 2012 (4 Hrs)

I need to get the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) fitted and clearing the elevator counterbalance arm.  Therefore I spent the night installing the Rod End Bearings (MD3614M) and the Jam Nuts (AN316-6) on the elevators and the rudder.  I then temporarily mounted the elevators onto the horizontal stabilizer and checked to ensure the elevators rotated freely without any interference.  At first the elevators were rubbing on the mounting brackets so I removed the elevators and worked the sheet metal until there was no longer any interference.  I then checked for the 30° “UP” and the 25° “DOWN” elevator travel and everything checked out.  So I secured the elevator in the “trail” position with duct tape and will be ready to shape the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910).  Finally I temporarily attached the rudder to the vertical stabilizer just to ensure there was no interference with each other.  Everything cleared and I removed the rudder and tightened down the jam nuts.

    

March 8, 2012 (2 Hrs)

Tonight I started trimming the flange width of the Horizontal Stabilizer Tip Fairings (HS-910) and made sure it fit tight against the Horizontal Stabilizer Skin (HS-1001).  Finally I match drilled both tips to the skins and called it a night.

    

November 14, 2011 (2 Hours)

I used some time tonight and some help from my Dad to finish the Horizontal Stabilizer.  We finished putting the rivets (AN470AD4-7 & -8) into the two inboard nose ribs and the Front Spar Assembly.  I waited until the end so that I could have better access to this particular area, though it was still very limited.  Afterwards I had a little extra time so I went ahead and riveted together the Elevator Bellcrank (F-635).

    

November 13, 2011 (2 Hours)

Tonight I was able to finish riveting the skins to the rear spar flanges.  Only a few more things to do to finish the Horizontal Stabilizer!!!

    

November 8, 2011 (3 Hours)

I came home tonight and riveted the rear spar assembly to the inspar ribs.  Next I inserted the two snap bushings (SB625-8) into the assembly before I started riveting some of the skins to the rear spar assembly flanges.  I tried using my rivet squeezer first; however it would hit the spar’s web and I could not get it as straight as I wanted.  So I got the 2x rivet gun and the tungsten bucking bar and got it zipped up in no time.  I only got ¼ of the rivets put in tonight, but it should not take to much more to finish it up.