Empicone Assembly
Hey folks!
Mitchell Lock here, Van's East Coast Rep. As you all know, I've been assembling an RV-12 that will be used as a demo aircraft on the right coast. Everyone who is building, uh, assembling one of these has to be amazed at the quality of the kit and its ease of assembly.
I'm just about finished with the empicone and will attach it to the fuselage this weekend. At this point in the project, I've learned three things that makes life much easier:
1. Stay in step-by-step order! Do not skip ahead in any process. Yes, early on I had to drill out a couple of rivets because I didn't.
2. Study the drawings in detail. Make sure you clearly understand how the pieces are to fit together.
3. Read and fully understand the instructions for the process your are about to undertake. I find myself sometimes just looking at the exploded drawings and want to starting clecoing parts based on that. Then, after something doesn't fit quite right, I go back and read. Should have read it first.
Number two is particularly pertinent when it comes to the box structure for the stabilator. Study that drawing very, very carefully. It is clear what to do once you fully understand the orientation of the assembly and its respective pieces.
Good luck to all builders out there and Merry Christmas to you and your families!!!
Mitch Lock
If anyone would like to contact me off list, I can be reached at
[email protected].