Yech! That looks like a lot of work!

We are having a serious heat wave here on the east coast. Spending a lot of time inside the tailcone is not appealing at all.

Sounds like several hours.:(
 
MSFT-1 said:
Spending a lot of time inside the tailcone is not appealing at all. (
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Having the tail fall off in flight is not appealing at all, either.

Put a fan in the back seat area, create your own personal "cool breeze".
 
25 hour inspection my ***. I hate going into the tail of my plane on my back. Find & fix the problem and be done with it. At this time, there's not a huge fleet of 10's flying out there. Most can comply during the build.
 
Ummmm....no matter how hot...I can't get in that spot...even if I lost 100 lbs...Shoot...need to rent that neighbor kid again...when your shoulders are 30 inches wide:D...heck!!! That's why I BUILT a -10....so my 18" wide passenger felt comfy. Lol...heck...a few more weeks I'd been painted...then I would have been upset!!:mad:
 
That's not how I read the SB. Simple translation: inspect the bulkhead within the next 5 hours then (at least) every 25 hours thereafter until the next condition inspection...at which time the doublers should be installed (if not sooner). Agreed......if you see a crack you should ground the aircraft and install the doublers.

Geico266 said:
Seems to me a 25 hours inspection is good until you see a crack? I don't wanna crawl in the tail! ARRRG!

I doubt seriously if the tail is gonna fall off.
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The SB also points out that the bulkhead is intregal in the attachment of the forward spars of the horizontal and vertical stabs. You might want to make sure you keep some fresh batteries in your SPOT MESSENGER :eek:.

This shouldn't be overly difficult for someone that has built their RV10. A couple short sessions in the tailcone will be the easiest part of the task. That said...there are a lot of folks out there flying 'purchased' RV10's and don't have clue how to drill out a rivet.

Just a guess but I'd venture to say that not too many of the RV10's in the classifieds will move prior to compliance with this SB???

Another poster mentioned their paint.....finished exterior paint won't be effected.

If someone needs some assistance let me know.....I may have a couple days off once my Rocket is up and flying in a couple weeks.
 
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MSFT-1 said:
We are having a serious heat wave here on the east coast. Spending a lot of time inside the tailcone is not appealing at all.

Sounds like several hours.:(
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The inspection can be done from outside the airplane using a flash light and mirror with the emp. fairing removed.

The only need to go in the tailcone when doing the installation of the doublers is to disconnect the elevator trim cables. 95% of the work time will be done from the outside.
 
They couldn't have put it out on Friday before I moved my plane away from the workshop on Saturday I just got it to the airport and put it together! I guess better now then after my tail fell off!
 
Which RV?

Does anyone know which factory RV-10 they found it on?
I assume is was the 220 HP (green and white one) since the yellow RV must be way over 500 hours.
 
Geico266 said:
The elevator trim cables can be taken off from the outside. Tricky, but not a big deal.
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Your right they can... but you have to be able to work by feel only. Not everyone is able to do that, and not everyone has a forearm size that allows it to be possible. Which was the reason my orig. post mentioned this being the only reason for entering the tailcone (some builders will not be able to do it from outside).
 
It is pretty easy to remove the cable ends from the trim tabs, and only a bit harder to remove the housing anchors from the access hatch cover in the elevator.

Then, just work the stab/elevator unit off the fuse, and let the trim cables stay on/in the fuse.

After the stab unit is off, the entire trim assembly is removed with a few bolts.

To reinstall the stab/elevators, get some plastic tubing, like the stock brake line, but big enough for the threaded end on the trim cable to fit into. Thread it into the stab/elevator unit, so it sticks out both ends. 4 or 5 feet per side will do. We used cloths pins on the tubing to keep it from falling out.

To put the stab/elevators back on, start the end of the trim cable into the plastic tube, and let the tubing guide the trim cable into the stab. It helps to remove the rubber dust boot from the trim cable outer housing. Dont forget to reinstall the boot after getting the stab on. The tubing will push out the end as the stab assembly goes on.

Three people needed, two on the stab, and one on the cables.

This (reinstalling) can be done in less time than it took to type this.

Been there, done that.
 
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Mike S said:
It is pretty easy to remove the cable ends from the trim tabs, and only a bit harder to remove the housing anchors from the access hatch cover in the elevator.


Been there, done that.
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Yup, me too.
But if the cables are still anchored at the fwd end, it is nearly impossible to remove the cover from each cable end without drilling off the rivets for the anchor nut (which some owners may not want to do), so the S.B. was written so that this was not necessary.

Each RV-10 owner is of course free to do it in what every way they think will be easiest for them.


Also it is very easy to get back to the exact same adjustment of everything if you operate the trim motor to position the trim tabs in exact trail alignment with the elevators. Then count the turns on each rod end (or anchor nut if you choose to do it that way) during removal. Then after everything is reassembled, verify that both trim tabs are once again in trail alignment with the elevators.
 
As luck would have it, I had just disassembled my tail section yesterday as the final completion step of the emp kit.
I remembered the thread about worst part of building and was going to comment that required disassembly in the middle of the process was probably my least favorite part when I saw this thread.

I was able to remove the trim cables without entering the tailcone.

What I did was remove the four screws holding the trim actuator assembly which allowed me to slide the assembly aft and to each side enough to provide enough slack to be able to twist around the elevator plate to unwind the cables from the plates. As I pulled the cables through, I pulled wire with them to be able to easily guide the cables back through when I reassemble.

I hate the thought of drilling out my nice new rivets, but I guess I'm better off than some as my tail feathers are already off.
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
it is nearly impossible to remove the cover from each cable end without drilling off the rivets for the anchor nut
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Rivets????? You used rivets:eek:

I think a better way is to use screws and nuts.

This is what we did on my buddy's 10, and I am planning on doing with mine.:)

I usually try thinking ahead a bit to make allowances for future access, just exactly like what is manifesting with the current SB.

By the way, the very excellent machined aluminum part (from Rivethead IIRC) has a thick enough base so you can countersink it. A dimpled cover + a flat head screw = no bumps:)
 
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Nick of time

Would you believe it? - I was about to start riveting those very parts this morning. Guess it gives me the impetus I need to get the fibreglass tip work done on the empennage parts instead........... Wonder how long it will take to get the parts to UK?
 
Curious

I've gone over the photos of the damage in the SB and am really puzzled as to how this could have happened. The F1010A al angle is bolted to the longerons at both ends - this negates any movement. It's also riveted to the F1010 bulkhead. The bulkhead is in turn, riveted to the side skins which are riveted to the longeron. These pieces shouldn't be moving relative to one another ? With the F1014 aft deck riveted in place, there shouldn't be any longitudinal movement of the longerons either - yet it looks like this may have resulted from some kind for fore and aft wear action of the longerons ?

The SB also says to check for 'loose rivets' on the skin/longeron around the bulkhead. This would also indicate movement in this area.

I guess I'm just stuck on trying to understand the mechanics of how this could happen given the design and pieces already in play.

Puzzled.
 
N520TX said:
I've gone over the photos of the damage in the SB and am really puzzled as to how this could have happened. The F1010A al angle is bolted to the longerons at both ends - this negates any movement. It's also riveted to the F1010 bulkhead. The bulkhead is in turn, riveted to the side skins which are riveted to the longeron. These pieces shouldn't be moving relative to one another ? With the F1014 aft deck riveted in place, there shouldn't be any longitudinal movement of the longerons either - yet it looks like this may have resulted from some kind for fore and aft wear action of the longerons ?

The SB also says to check for 'loose rivets' on the skin/longeron around the bulkhead. This would also indicate movement in this area.

I guess I'm just stuck on trying to understand the mechanics of how this could happen given the design and pieces already in play.

Puzzled.
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The other thing that puzzles me is that the doubler appears to be designed only for the purpose of strengthening the cracked area in the bulkhead.

If I am seeing this correctly, the root cause of the crack is not addressed.

Am I missing something here??????
 
Fatigue

This looks like a classic fatigue failure. Physical movement is not required to cause this - the vibration associated with a piston engine will do it. It has eminated from the cutout at the end of the longeron tab. Since I am about to start building this part, I have double-checked that the area is correctly deburred and smoothed. Fatigue cracks nearly always start at a sharp corner or small crack which generates a local stress raiser.

As for the solution, they appear to have allowed for the crack to propagate right across the F1010 bulkhead and used the doubler to take the load. However, it would seem to make sense to stop drill the crack to avoid further propogation. If no crack has formed, then the extra stiffness introduced should mitigate the vibration issue.

At least, this is what I remember going back 30 years to my engineering degree!:eek:
 
paul330 said:
This looks like a classic fatigue failure. Physical movement is not required to cause this - the vibration associated with a piston engine will do it. It has eminated from the cutout at the end of the longeron tab. Since I am about to start building this part, I have double-checked that the area is correctly deburred and smoothed. Fatigue cracks nearly always start at a sharp corner or small crack which generates a local stress raiser.

As for the solution, they appear to have allowed for the crack to propagate right across the F1010 bulkhead and used the doubler to take the load. However, it would seem to make sense to stop drill the crack to avoid further propogation. If no crack has formed, then the extra stiffness introduced should mitigate the vibration issue.

At least, this is what I remember going back 30 years to my engineering degree!:eek:
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Paul, thanks for the clarification.

I had wondered about stop drilling also, it is not mentioned in the SB, near as I can tell.
 
N520TX said:
I've gone over the photos of the damage in the SB and am really puzzled as to how this could have happened. The F1010A al angle is bolted to the longerons at both ends - this negates any movement. It's also riveted to the F1010 bulkhead. The bulkhead is in turn, riveted to the side skins which are riveted to the longeron. These pieces shouldn't be moving relative to one another ? With the F1014 aft deck riveted in place, there shouldn't be any longitudinal movement of the longerons either - yet it looks like this may have resulted from some kind for fore and aft wear action of the longerons ?

The SB also says to check for 'loose rivets' on the skin/longeron around the bulkhead. This would also indicate movement in this area.

I guess I'm just stuck on trying to understand the mechanics of how this could happen given the design and pieces already in play.

Puzzled.
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I believe it is fatique not from the vibrations of the engine but the twisting the rudder/vertical and the slightly (very slightly) asymetrical loading on the horizontals puts on the fuselage at that point.
 
TSwezey said:
I believe it is fatique not from the vibrations of the engine but the twisting the rudder/vertical and the slightly (very slightly) asymetrical loading on the horizontals puts on the fuselage at that point.
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That's very possible. Fatigue is best demonstrated by the bending back and forth of a beer can and the motion you describe would fit the bill. The point is that you don't need physical movement between parts - vibration or flexing will cause fatigue cracks.

And Mike, you are right (from what I can see) that VANS do not mention stop drilling. It's a standard repair technique and (IMHO) ought to be applied.

Incidentally, fatigue was first discovered in the 50s when Comets started falling out of the sky (3, I think). The windows were square and the pressurization cycles caused cracks at the corners. As a result, the B707 took over the world. Had it not been for that, we might all be flying around in British aircraft rather than Boeings! ;)
 
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I just took the emp fairing off my RV-10

The airplane has just under 100 hours on it (97 to be exact).

It takes about 10 minutes to remove the fairing.

Unless you have a head the size of a grapefruit, there is no way to directly see the F1010 part where the cracks may form. You will either need an inspection mirror or a small digital camera to visually check that area.

I could get my hand in there and feel for a crack. I did not find any. My plan is to take my small Canon digital Elph camera to the hanger to snap a couple pictures.

I will install the doublers when I receive them.
 
rv 10 S B

I have aprox 100 hr in 110gs no sign of cracks yes an insp. mirror was needed
looking at the pictures from vans It looks like a rivet was missing on the left side of the one picture on the skin !! also on the install of the doubler how about some pro seal on the section that meets the side skin??
 
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