Empennage Fairings and rudder fairing light delete

[JeffPeters]

I've completed my empennage kit and waiting for wings to arrive and wanted to know if there is any reason I can't work on the fairings. I don't have the tail assembled, its still all in pieces but wasn't sure if that would be needed to line things up or are the fairings just matched up to their individual parts. Would doing them now paint me into a corner down the road for final assembly/balancing or anything else?

Also, I'm installing Aveo ziptips with the rear light integrated into the wing so I won't be using the rudder light. For those who have used ziptips, do you reshape the rudder fairing to remove the bulb area formed for the light or do just leave it as it is?

 

[scrollF4]

I've completed my empennage kit and waiting for wings to arrive and wanted to know if there is any reason I can't work on the fairings. I don't have the tail assembled, its still all in pieces but wasn't sure if that would be needed to line things up or are the fairings just matched up to their individual parts. Would doing them now paint me into a corner down the road for final assembly/balancing or anything else?

Also, I'm installing Aveo ziptips with the rear light integrated into the wing so I won't be using the rudder light. For those who have used ziptips, do you reshape the rudder fairing to remove the bulb area formed for the light or do just leave it as it is?

I can't talk to the ziptips, but I do recommend you wait on the empennage fairings until you can mate them accurately to the fuselage and tail surfaces.

 

[JeffPeters]

I can't talk to the ziptips, but I do recommend you wait on the empennage fairings until you can mate them accurately to the fuselage and tail surfaces.

I'm only looking to do the small ones - the caps at the end of the surfaces. I don't have the big one that wraps around the tail cone, VS, and HS. I think that one comes with the finishing kit.

 

[recapen]

I think you can get the rudder bottom without the light...

 

[scrollF4]

I'm only looking to do the small ones - the caps at the end of the surfaces. I don't have the big one that wraps around the tail cone, VS, and HS. I think that one comes with the finishing kit.

Oh yes those are good to go. Sorry, I was thinking about the intersection fairings.

 

[JeffPeters]

I think you can get the rudder bottom without the light...

That would be very helpful but I don't see anything on Vans site that looks like it.

Just stumbled on this and looks like glassing it up isn't too bad. https://vansairforce.net/threads/rudder-bottom-without-light-cutout.228847/

 

[3stepdrop]

I've done or at least in process of doing, what you describe. I've removed the rudder bottom light and am reshaping the bottom w fiberglass

 

[lmerrill]

You can do all of the empennage fiberglass now if you wish. You will want to mount the horizontal stabilizer to a table and attach the elevators. This gives you the ability to make sure the edges match up and can make proper alignment between the elevators and HS tips before drilling attachment holes. Once fiberglass tips are attached you can decide if you want to glass in the transition between the fiberglass and aluminum if you wish. You will also need to attach the rudder to the vertical stabilizer to make sure you get your gaps and alignment correct before drilling attachment holes. No way to get alignment between these components perfect unless you bolt them together. It is all easy but takes time. If you have nothing else to work on at the moment it would be a great time to make use of your downtime because it does take time to make them look great. You can also decide if you need to make the bottom rudder cap removable or not. If you are using rudder trim it might be nice to have it removable to access wiring and connectors for that. If no rudder trim and no light I wouldn't make it removable. I would wait to do the empennage fairing that attaches to the aft end of the tailcone unless you have a way to mount the tailcone in secure manner before attaching the rest of the tail feathers.

 

[[email protected]]

I've completed my empennage kit and waiting for wings to arrive and wanted to know if there is any reason I can't work on the fairings. I don't have the tail assembled, its still all in pieces but wasn't sure if that would be needed to line things up or are the fairings just matched up to their individual parts. Would doing them now paint me into a corner down the road for final assembly/balancing or anything else?

Also, I'm installing Aveo ziptips with the rear light integrated into the wing so I won't be using the rudder light. For those who have used ziptips, do you reshape the rudder fairing to remove the bulb area formed for the light or do just leave it as it is?

We offer horizontal stabilizer and elevator tip fairings ready to install. We also offer vertical stabilizer and rudder tip fairings. Our lower rudder tip fairing comes with two options for the bulb or without it. See everything at aerosouth.net

 

[kirkbauer]

Also if you need things to work on, I suggest getting ahead on prep for the wings. You'll need some sort of wing cart, you'll need a cradle for the leading edge and fuel tanks, and a cradle for the flaps and ailerons. You can also review the plans and/or the wiki to see if there are tools and supplies you are going to need.

Also, there are a lot of things you can work on in the tailcone depending on what your plans are. So perhaps consider doing some of those while waiting on the wing kit. The wiki has a solid list of ideas.