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Empennage Fairing Attachment

Larry Ocker

Active Member
Dwg 44 empennage fairing attachment: Read and understand this drawing before you begin the fuselage, it will save you a lot of heartache. Especially the installation of the 2 F-794A empennage gap covers and the F-794B emppennage fairing. Platenuts have to be installed in the VS where the rivets were left out and in the HS where the rivets were not left out. The longeron has to be tapped for 6/32 screws where rivets were installed to fasten the F-773-L&R skin. Platenuts have to be installed in the F709 bulkhead where rivets were installed to fasten the F-775 rear top skin.

On Dwg 28 the fuselage skin rivet call out, all the holes are shown with rivets in them.

I know you should be familiar with all aspects of the construction process but some days it really irritates me with the lack of instructions.

You would think that $25,000 to $30,000 would buy you better instuctions. I found none for this procedure.

OK, I'm done venting.

I just hope I have helped someone else.
 
Too late

Larry,
I wish you had told me this last year.
I overlooked the "Leave These Rivets Out" and six months late when drilling between the existing rivets for the fairings nutplates, drilled throught the AL Angle spar reinforement in the stab.
I had to open the stab and replace it.

If you haven't done the left elev yet, read the whole thing first.
One para says, "dimple all the holes." I did.
The next para says, "Except........" Bummer, to late.

Taught me to read ahead.
Pete.
 
Man I have to agree with you guys, this whole area stinks! Now that I screwed up in all the places you all mention I find this post!

What prompted me to do the search is this... I can't figure out if the screws that attach the "B" fairing (#6 screws) just sit in the countersunk fiberglass or get washers of some kind? Seems to me that the small screws would just pull through the glass pretty quickly.

What do you all suggest or have you done?

BTW Larry, if you ever get close to Highland look me up, Wick's knows my address.

Thanks, Larry
 
Last edited:
Just to throw a twist on you guys. Heres what I did.


http://www.jeffsrv-7a.com/FUSELAGE/04-08-18.htm

http://www.jeffsrv-7a.com/FUSELAGE/04-08-26.htm

-Jeff


FUSELAGE%20122.jpg
 
I think the Tinnermans are is a good solution. Hey Jeff great photos, thanks, neat fairing solution too.
Larry
 
A simple solution is to attach the gap covers with pop rivets. Unless you have a major trim issue, they will never need to be removed.
 
Where are the F-794A empennage fairing parts

Thanks for the heads up to look at drawing #44 before riveting on the top aft skins.

So where are the F-795A empennage fairing parts. I don't seem to have them. Nor do I see them in the kit's inventory lists. Did you guys get them in the kit or make them, or order them?

thanks
 
Exactly what I did and it works great. Keeps you from messing things up when you remove the fairing.



Bill,
Do you remember the thickness of aluminum? I will be fitting mine in couple days and I like the solution.
 
On my -7A, I put the platenuts in the H Stab as the plans specify and then checked out other installations at Oshkosh. Some used half the screws specified, so I filled in about half of the screw holes in the fairing, countersunk the fairing holes for #6 screws without Tinnerman washers and it's been entirely satisfactory and without issues for the last 6 years and 650 hrs.

It's a stock installation as I didn't cut off the aft part that hangs down. I have the 3 screws on the fuselage, the top, forward of the Vertical Stab, and both sides, just forward of the H Stab. Take a look at this web page: http://www.jeffsrv-7a.com/FUSELAGE/04-08-26.htm the last 3 pictures. Looking at the H Stab screws and numbering them 1 through 5 from front to back, I deleted screws 2 and 4. Looking at the Vertical Stab, of the 5 screws shown in the picture, I only used number 3 and deleted the rest. Keep in mind that my fairing still has the aft section attached so I also have screws on the Vertical Stab in the aft screw position and on the elevator inspection cover plate.

I figured if countersunk #6 holes ever got enlarged to where the screws wouldn't hold, I could use the Tinnerman washers at that time. The same philosophy has also worked on my wheel pants without any issues, although I put in the number of screws specified.

Mike
 
Bill,
Do you remember the thickness of aluminum? I will be fitting mine in couple days and I like the solution.

Vlad,

The plane is at the paint shop right now so I can't measure them but I do recall making them out of the same thickness as the inspectional panel that goes back there, which I THINK is .032.
 
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