when does the tail get attached?

[prkaye]

I was just looking at the photo on Rudy's post (amazing work... I don't know how he keeps all those skins looking so perfect and spotless while he builds!). I noticed the tail is attached. I am hoping I can delay attaching the tail until the very end of the project, when I put the wings on too. The reason is that I'm building in my garage, and with the size of the tail on a 9A, I'd never get the thing in a truck if the tail is attached. Also might have trouble getting it out the garage door!
Can fitting the tail be left until the very end, after the engine, firewall-forward and all that is done?
(I won't have to worry about this for quite some time, but I tend to like to worry about things far in advance )

[pierre smith]

Phil, you can wait until you're at the airport but I'd at least mount it with the shims and drill all the holes while you're at home with all the tools handy. Remember, the Vertical fin attaches (It does on a 6 and-7) to the horizontal spar and so it should be fitted. We removed ours after that because it gets in the way and re-installed it later.

BTW, if you use a rollback truck, the tail is not a problem.

Regards,

[rv8bldr]

Hi Phil

You can (and should, in my opinion) mount the tail at home, then just take it off and store it if you want. It will be a whole lot more convenient to do it in your garage, where you can also make the elevator push rod, fit the big fibreglass empennage fairing, and the small aluminum fairings with the rubber weather stripping underneath.

Cheers

[prkaye]

cool... so it's easy to just remove those fairings and what not after they've been fitted?

[Paul Eastham]

While it's not a problem to mount the tail early in fuse construction, I waited until the airport.
Why? Crowded garage. Large HS on the 9A exacerbates this problem. Also, I believe the HS is wider than a car, so this might be a consideration even if you plan to get to the airport on a rollback truck -- we have these things called "sound walls" very close to the lanes here...

Lastly, I think it would be easiest to wait to do the final bolting-on until after everything else is done back there, especially the fairings. Access is quite difficult (9A especially again) with the HS on.

Paul

[pierre smith]

Phil,
I think you should check out www.fairings-etc.com by Bob Snedaker in Arizona. He makes beautiful fairings, much better than Van's in my opinion. He has rounded fairngs that go under the horizontal with no rubber strip either.

Regards,

[f1rocket]

Van's posted some instructions on their web site about moutning and rigging the empennage. They suggest that you wait to drill the mounting holes until after you have the wings installed. While the instruction use the fuselage rails as a reference point, the REAL reference point is the established by the wing location. Theoretically, the rails should be level fore and aft and side to side when the wings are, but minor manufacturing difference might occur. This was probably more of a problem prior to the pre-punch era, but it's good advice regardless.

[RudiGreyling]

Since you are refering to my picture, I'll answer about my situation.

The tail is on tempory, it allowed me to make all the things at home for the fitting. It also ensured I had to correct deflections etc. That means at the hanger it will be a simple assembly.

It will come off and be stored, but so far it has not been in my way, and it does look cool, at least my non aviation related family can see it looks like an airplane.

Regards
Rudi

[RV8N]

Phil, I noticed your building a tri-gear but I want to document something here for those building taildraggers.

Do not mount the engine without the tail being in place. Also, if the tail is temporarily installed and you install the engine, be very careful when you remove the tail.

With a heavy engine/prop combination, removing the empenage will unload the tail and your fuselage can end up on its nose. I was lucky and felt the tail lifting when I went to remove the HS and set it back down real quick.

Just don't want anyone to ding their brand new prop...

Karl

[ferret]

Sometime before the first flight........