Contruction Log The Plane About Us

Entries for: Empennage - Rudder

Entry Date: Monday, Feb 07, 2005 (details)
Rudder Complete!
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 0 hours

Wow! It's a real (and recognizeable) plane part!

Entry Date: Monday, Feb 07, 2005 (details)
Rivet the Trailing Edge
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 1 hours

Verified that the trailing edge was not fully true and plumb. Corrected by epoxying the skins together and clamping overnight. Riveted the trailing edge once dry.

Entry Date: Sunday, Feb 06, 2005 (details)
Rivet the Tip Rib and Nutplates
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 1.3 hours

Positioned and cleco'd the tip rib. Riveted the tip rib with flush rivets.
Riveted the nutplates to the inside of the tip rib through both the rib and skins.

Entry Date: Saturday, Jan 29, 2005 (details)
Rivet the Forward Skin and Root Rib
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 7.7 hours

Positioned and cleco'd the forward skin.
Used the pop rivets to connect the skin and rib around the counterweight.
Riveted the remaining holes in the counterweight rib and those common to the main and forward skin.
Riveted the skins to the root rib.

Entry Date: Sunday, Jan 23, 2005 (details)
Rivet the Right Skin to the Frame Assembly
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 4.5 hours

Positioned and cleco'd the right skin in place.
Riveted the skin to the aft spar including the counterweight rib.

Entry Date: Saturday, Jan 22, 2005 (details)
Rivet the Left Skin to the Frame Assembly
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 3.3 hours

Positioned and cleco'd the skin to the frame. Riveted the skin along the aft spar up to four rivets below the tip rib.
Riveted skin to the counterweight rib (but not any rivets common to the forward skin).

Entry Date: Monday, Jan 17, 2005 (details)
Rivet the Brackets, Ribs, and Spars Together
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 6 hours

Reconnected the interior rudder spars and ribs to the supports. Riveted all brackets to the spars and ribs. Riveted the rib and spar to the yoke weldment. Also riveted the nutplates on the hinge mounting plate along the forward spar.

Entry Date: Sunday, Jan 16, 2005 (details)
Apply Corrsion Protection
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 3 hours

Applied corrosion protection. Used Alumiprep and Alodine.
After the Alumiprep/Alodine treatment everything was moved into the booth and painted with Deft Primer.

Entry Date: Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004 (details)
Final Rudder Preperation
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 4.5 hours

Disassembled and deburred all of the pieces.
Dimpled the skin, forward spar, and the tip rib (only at nutplate rivet points).
Fabricated the lead counterweight.

Entry Date: Sunday, Dec 12, 2004 (details)
Drill Holes for Mounting the Tip Fairing
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 0.5 hours

Marked the locations for the tip fairing on the skins. Drilled #19 holes for the center of the nutplates. Attached the nutplates with cleco clamps, drilled rivet holes and cleco'd.

Entry Date: Sunday, Dec 12, 2004 (details)
Drill and Cleco the Trailing Edge
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 0.75 hours

Verified that the assembly was straight and checked alignment of the skins along the trailing edge line. Drilled and cleco'd.

Entry Date: Sunday, Dec 12, 2004 (details)
Drill and Cleco the Forward Skin
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 2.5 hours

Extended the existing lines of the forward spar holes to the top of the skin. Adjusted the flanges on the counterweight rib a bit to get the forward skin for fit properly. Aligned the pre-punched rivet holes and drilled.

Entry Date: Saturday, Dec 11, 2004 (details)
Drill and Cleco the Skins
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 1.5 hours

Placed skins and checked alignment of the pre-drilled holes with the centerlines on the ribs and spars.

Entry Date: Saturday, Dec 11, 2004 (details)
Fitting the Skins
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 1 hours

Fitted the skins over the framework and checked to make sure that trailing edge was centered over the line on the worktable.
Most of the centerlines on the ribs/spars were visable through the pilot holes. The majority of our adjustments had to be made on the counterweight rib.

Entry Date: Saturday, Dec 11, 2004 (details)
Join the Counterweight Rib to the Spars
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 1 hours

Slid the counterweight rib through the holes in the forward and aft spars. Clamped the forward spar/counterweight rib bracket to the spar web and centered. Aligned the forward spar/hinge bracket with the pre-punched holes, drilled and cleco'd to hold in place. Drilled the holes in the top of the first bracket. Finally drilled the four #40 holes through both brackets and the rib web.
Attached the aft spar/counterweight rib bracket in place, aligned the bracket and centerlines, drilled and cleco'd.

Entry Date: Sunday, Dec 05, 2004 (details)
Drill and Cleco Root Rib and Aft Spar
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 0.75 hours

Placed root rib, drilled and cleco'd.
Aligned the spar with the aft spar/root rib bracket.
Built lateral supports on the bench to assist with alignment and stability.

Entry Date: Saturday, Dec 04, 2004 (details)
Drill and Cleco the Forward Spar to the Yoke Weldment
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 0.75 hours

Attached the forward spar to the yoke weldment with a #30 cleco. Centered the spar over the trailing edge line. Built lateral supports. Drilled and cleco'd.

Entry Date: Saturday, Dec 04, 2004 (details)
Joining the Forward Spar/Hinge Bracket and Plate
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 0.5 hours

Used a C-clamp to hold the forward spar/hinge bracket on the forward spar. Aligned the parts with the bolts placed through the pre-existing holes. Edge margins were fine so we didn't have to trim the bracket to fit. Drilled and Cleco'd

Entry Date: Saturday, Dec 04, 2004 (details)
Getting Started!
Assembly: Empennage
Sub-Assembly:  Rudder
Work Time: 1 hours

The work table* has been built and leveled. We don't remember seeing anything in the manual about having to be carpenters...
*In our total hours we don't include time spent building support structures, shopping, clean-up, or serious moments spent on thought (if we did, our build hours we already be off the charts).