March 24, 2004 HOME

As we start the 3rd day of the SynergyAir workshop, I'm convinced it's the 4th or 5th day. There is just so very much accomplished. We start immediately, there isn't much time to worry about how many days it's been and the next thing I know, 3 hours have passed and no pictures!

Here's the horizontal stabilizer rear spar with the rudder hinge brackets already riveted and ready for the reinforcing bars to be riveted.

Right before lunch (that 15 minute dead spot when gobble something down as fast as you can so you can get back to work) I got to work deburring the vertical stab. I was still pretty happy with how it was going. Maybe a little amazed too.

Just another shot of the deburring process. It is not the most fun part of plane building in my book.

So, you might just be getting tired of seeing pics of things clecoed up, but I love this part. It's exciting to see the clunky little parts like stiffeners, ribs, spars and a big skin panel all come together to be something you can recognize.

Oops! A less than perfect rivet. This one gets drilled out and replaced. I want to know that vertical stab has nothing but good rivets in it, wouldn't you?

So by early afternoon, the elevator counterbalance skins were drilled and dimpled and fit to the elevators. I should have taken pics of that process, but it's no big thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Here's a bottom shot of the right elevator with stiffeners riveted (hubby finally finished his job) and the inboard rib, spar and counterbalance skin ready to rivet.

This is the left elevator with the trim tab laying on it. The hinge needs to be drilled when it's all properly aligned. Yes, alignment is pretty critical here.

Carefully lining up both edges (trailing and inboard) of the trim tab will keep the form of the elevator unaltered.

I think I showed a picture of the horizontal stab like this yesterday. The difference today is that all the drilling is complete and the rear spar is fitted. Next it all comes apart for deburring and goes back together with rivets.

I hate to admit this is rework, but here I am re-dimpling an elevator spar. It's one of those thing that has to be right before it gets riveted. There's no going back it isn't right the first time...

So, I'll leave you where we began today with a pic of the horizontal stab rear spar. Hopefully it will get riveted first thing tomorrow.

 

 

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