Empennage question

[Cessna_Driver]

I am considering building an RV-9A and have room in the basement, but the door is not wide or tall enough to get the complete fuselage out. How easy is it to remove the empinage from the plane after it has been installed?

 

[scard]

The empennage, meaning the horizontal and vertical stabilizers and the elevators and rudder, are very easily installed and removed. In fact, many people remove and store the tail parts during project completion so they aren't in the way and to make the completed fuselage easier to transport to the airport. The widest part of an RV9A fuselage is about 44" (for door consideration).

 

[Cessna_Driver]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[N941WR]

I am considering building an RV-9A and have room in the basement, but the door is not wide or tall enough to get the complete fuselage out. How easy is it to remove the empinage from the plane after it has been installed?

CD,

Scard is correct. They do remove easly enough.

My -9 is going together in my basement and I have had if fully assembled down there.

The basement is eight feet tall, so there is no issue with the tail or the tip-up canopy on my -9. Note, I have not put it on the gear yet but since mine is a -9 and not a -9A I suspect it will not be as tall and will work just fine on the gear.

Also, I'm in the same boat as you. My basement door is only 32" wide and this week I plan on ordering the 64" double door set to replace it. Cost from the local lumber yard is $375 plus my time to install it and some material.

Building down there has worked out great and has left the garage for my wife's trucklet.

 

[Build9A]

Just install once

How easy is it to remove the empinage from the plane after it has been installed?

Another option is to build all the components of the emp. and store them untill you take the fuselage, wings, and tail pieces to the airport. I didn't attach my emp. for the first and last time untill I had everything in the hanger. Jack

 

[N941WR]

Another option is to build all the components of the emp. and store them untill you take the fuselage, wings, and tail pieces to the airport. I didn't attach my emp. for the first and last time untill I had everything in the hanger. Jack

That could be done but you are better off putting them on while it is still at home as there is a good bit of work to be done with the tail attached.

IMHO, you are much better off doing as much as you can while at home simply because the commute to the basement is much shorter than the one to the hanger. (for most people) Nothing like driving 1/2 and hour to do an hours work and then 1/2 hour back home to get to bed.

 

[scard]

Bill speaks the word that I'm working by... If it can be done in the garage, it will be done in the garage. Ok, except for wing mating. I concluded that was too much monkey business in order to accomplish attaching both wings with one wing hanging out in the driveway.