Dented Tailcone

[sc_pilot]

Well… through a dumb bonehead move, I dropped the folding leg of my engine hoist into the tailcone on my rv12. This was just after we finished riveting the tailcone onto the fuselage and was cleaning up. I’m assuming this skin needs to be replaced? The scratch is almost half through the metal and the dent is pretty deep as shown.

I’m willing and inclined to drill out all the rivets and replace the side skin rather than do some sort of patch that I have to look at. Would the underlying structure be ok if I drilled out and replaced? Or too great a risk in oversizing holes? This skin rivets to the stabilator bracket and the longeron. I kinda don’t want to have to deal with waiting on vans to have to crate a new side skin as I’m sure that’s not in their standard online web order process.

Since I’m building EAB and not ELSA:
I’m also willing to try hiding it by cutting it completely out and putting an access panel there. I just have to be careful how low I cut so I don’t get into the J stiffener on the bottom corner skin. People at my airport tend to think an access panel wouldn’t structurally compromise the tailcone. One person suggested trying to tap out the dent and leave the scratch for filling with paint. I was worried about it cracking and spreading over time.

I have an Email into tech about it but wanted to know if anyone else has ran into major dings like this? Talk about taking the wind out of my sails after what should have been a very happy day of joining the tailcone

Page: 10iS/U-08
Skin: F-1280-R. Dent between frames F-1208 and F-1209.

Thanks
Jacob

 

[FredMagare]

See what Van's has to say. You might be able to get away with riveting a doubler on, but I wouldn't trust that like it is. If you're not willing to settle for that - order replacement parts now and begin disassembly while you wait for them to arrive.... In the end, it's your decision and the desire to get in the air is compelling but I'd advise you to be focused more on safety than how long it takes.

 

[Brantel]

Change it. The skins are structural on these planes and you don’t want to start out with one that is pre-buckled!!!!

It is so easy to drill out these pulled rivets that it makes enlarged holes a non issue for most things.

Be ready for a reaming on the crating and shipping charge!

 

[rvbuilder2002]

Change it. The skins are structural in these planes and you don’t want to start out with one that is pre-buckled!!!!

It is so easy to drill out these pulled rivets that it makes enlarged holes a non issue for most things.

Be ready for a reaming on the crating and shipping charge!

I agree with Brian. Changing a skin on the RV 12 is so easy compared to most any other airplane.
Unfortunately, he is also correct about the creating and shipping fees. That is the biggest negative to changing it.

 

[N8DAV8R]

It may not be as bad as you think to get the replacement. I needed an entire fuselage side skin. The part was $80 and shipping was $40-$60.

 

[sc_pilot]

It may not be as bad as you think to get the replacement. I needed an entire fuselage side skin. The part was $80 and shipping was $40-$60.

Did they roll it? Unfortunately this skin has an integrated J stiffener rolled into the skin so it can’t be rolled into a box

 

[Brantel]

It may not be as bad as you think to get the replacement. I needed an entire fuselage side skin. The part was $80 and shipping was $40-$60.

Was it able to be rolled up?

 

[Brantel]

Did they roll it? Unfortunately this skin has an integrated J stiffener rolled into the skin so it can’t be rolled into a box

This!

 

[sc_pilot]

257 rivets done in about an hour.

I’m actually going to leave this panel off probably until the very end. I have perfect access now to hook up the flight controls, adjust anything with the fuel pumps, the auto pilot servo, and the connections at the tail.

I also think this would’ve been easier for doing that tail cone clip service bulletin. I thought I was going to be in a hurry to put the sideskin back on and make it look pretty again. But I think it would actually benefit me if I left it off for a while.

 

[PaulvS]

257 rivets done in about an hour.

I’m actually going to leave this panel off probably until the very end. I have perfect access now to hook up the flight controls, adjust anything with the fuel pumps, the auto pilot servo, and the connections at the tail.

I also think this would’ve been easier for doing that tail cone clip service bulletin. I thought I was going to be in a hurry to put the sideskin back on and make it look pretty again. But I think it would actually benefit me if I left it off for a while.

"Every cloud has a silver lining"!

 

[bpattonsoa]

When I was a Mentor on a Teen build RV-12IS we were fortunate to have a couple of smaller very skilled Teens available when installing all of the stuff that goes behind the spar. It would have been a nightmare for my 6’ 2” older body if I was the builder.

I can’t see any reason why that skin couldn’t be left clecoed until the very end.

 

[Dr_Dave_MT]

I agree with Brian. Changing a skin on the RV 12 is so easy compared to most any other airplane.
Unfortunately, he is also correct about the creating and shipping fees. That is the biggest negative to changing it.

Road Trip!
"It's 678 miles to Aurora, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses."
Jake: "Hit it."