One man stabilator install...

I am at the point where I needed to install the stabilator to check alignment of the tailcone fairing. And I will leave in on for a while because I am about ready to fire up the avionics and test run the trim servo. Then it has to come off again because of my limited work space. Although I have help available when I need it, I decided to work out a method of installing the stab by myself, hopefully without frustration. I made up two padded supports to rest on my work table that are within 1 inch of the correct height and just kind of pushed the stabilator into place. No problem at all to get in on in about 10 minutes. No glued washers got knocked off, as it is very easy to carefully guide the stabilized stab into place. It took far longer to cut the lumber and nail it together than to install the stab.




This method is easier, I am sure, than to install the stab with two other people holding the ends and jiggling it around, especially with those glued on washer spacers.
Tony

That is a good idea. I installed it by myself, but it was NOT easy. This would be a good plan after painting also.

I did a little different

I put a small floor jack under the nose leg nut, and raised the nose until the tail came down to the HS, sitting a a table. It worked well also, and got it lower to work on. Either will work.

John Bender

BOTH very GOOD ideas.

After you have the HS installed, check the clearance between the HS skin and the side of the tailcone as you rotate the HS stop to stop. Before final paint, I am going to have to remove about a 1/32+" on the top side of the HS skin where it abutts the side of the tailcone. Same with the flaperons.

Hey Marty - Did yu remove metal

from the stab, or fiberglass from the fairing? Looks like I need about 1/8" more clearance - it touches and binds now.

John

Hey John, I had to trim about 1/8" of Stabilator skins top and bottom to get clearance to the tailcone.

Tony

One man stabilator installation

I had to remove up to 1/8" from the Stab Skin at some locations, per page 12-09, Fig. 1, detail A, but it varies. I did it while mounted on the Tail Cone and unsupported so it could swivel. I was able to mark the areas, then raise or lower the Stab to clear the Tail Cone Fairing and make the trim. Saved a lot of on and off of the Stab. The fairing can also be removed by one person easily to make the trim. This was not the case with areas forward of the hinge point. Those areas were marked and material removal was delayed until I removed the Stab. BTW, when intitially mounting the Stab, it is a good idea to apply some duct tape on the Tail Cone Skin to prevent scratching from the Stab Skin while manuvering the Stab into position for bolting.

Art Pennanen