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Empennage section 11 - do now or wait?

FlyingDiver

Well Known Member
Done through section 10, with a few bits of 11 included (trim servo mechanism). Since I'm going to have to transport and store the empennage unassembled, does it make any sense to do the assembly steps now or just wait until it's going to be mated with the fuselage? As soon as the wing kit arrives it'll have to be disassembled and moved to my storage facility.
 
Done through section 10, with a few bits of 11 included (trim servo mechanism). Since I'm going to have to transport and store the empennage unassembled, does it make any sense to do the assembly steps now or just wait until it's going to be mated with the fuselage? As soon as the wing kit arrives it'll have to be disassembled and moved to my storage facility.

Most folks including myself waited until section 38 to assemble the Emp. I just put my stabilitor and Vstab on a shelf for safe keeping. I stored my tailcone I'm the house for a time and then kept it vertically in my shop as I got closer to Section 38.
 
Thanks, I'll probably hold off on it. I might go ahead and fit the fairing tips, but not rivet them, since i'm killing time until I get the wings.
 
I’m waiting until later to do the major assembly steps in Section 11.

I fit and riveted the optional tips for the stabilator and the tip for the top of the rudder. I fit and drilled the tip for the vertical stabilizer but didn’t rivet it, just in case it needs a slight amount of additional trimming to prevent interference when I eventually attach the rudder.
 
I'm going to hold off on actually riveting the stabilator tips because I might need to get it into an 8' trailer or truck bed.
 
Trial Assembly

I'm killing time waiting for the Wing Kit as well, and I decided that I might as well "practice" fitting the vertical stab, rudder and stabilator. I found getting the bolts and especially the washers aligned was most challenging, and I'm glad I learned from this trial fitting process. It was kind of fun to activate and reverse the trim servo and tab via a 12v battery. I also went ahead and fit / riveted on the fiberglass fairings. I'm not overly concerned about exceeding the 8' trailering width by a few inches. Afterwards, I disassembled everything for storage. Now I just have to hope I don't forget everything I learned!:cool:
 
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