Thursday, August 4, 2016

Empennage

Empennage Attach ( 1 hr )

Attached LH and RH Elevators to H.S, and re-measured full Up and full Down.   Some extra clearance needed at Aft Fuselage to Elev Horns in order to provide full 30deg Up, and 25deg Down.  Van's has told me about 25deg Up and 20deg Down would be sufficient ( I'm limited now to about 26 Up, and 22 Down -- but instructions call for 30/25....so I'm planning to gain a few more degrees).  Seems some builders have had similar results, so not surprised.

Checked Rudder clearance to Elevator, and both directions meet 19mm required.  Thus no change to Stops needed (yeah!).

Installed Rudder Cables, but needed to reverse so mounted under Rudder Horn to clear Rudder Stops. I have inquiry to Van's since my cable end is not a clevis, but a simple end.
UPDATE: Van's confirmed I installed Rudder Cables backwards.  So in process to reverse front to back, so expected clevis end is at Rudder Horn.   Carefully drilled out blind rivets holding plastic guides, tied string to cable end, and pulled out.  Simple to use same string to pull back through fuselage now attached to correct end.   Note: Instructions only tell you to check plastic sleeve is at forward end...and mine was supplied with the plastic sleeve slipped onto wrong end, so I proceeded to install reversed.  Diagrams are subtle, but closer inspection does show the rudder attachment via clevis end...which is how I originally thought they should attach.

Not right...drat!   Determined Rudder Cables in reverse Fore/Aft  
Corrected Rudder Cable installation - clevis end for Rudder Horn !
(Aug 15: carefully drilled out 4 blind rivets per side, replaced)