Elevator Stab - Part 1

Wings & Elevator's as delivered

The elevator stab is supplied with a factory assembled frame. All the skins are held on by a series of temporary rivets. These were drilled out allowing the panels to be removed to be prepared for re-installation.

The spars were pre-drilled at the factory for the captive nuts but the the hole's for the rivets and countersinks were prepared by the builder with the other task to dimple the factory pre-drilled nose skin's.

Typical attachments

The frame was fitted to a mounting frame and bolted firmly at one end and lightly to allow float at the other preventing distortion begin introduced. 

The skins were all clecoed back onto the frame. It was found that the nose had to be left only held with a few safety clecos to allow the back's to be re-installed. 

All holes were clecoed to ensure the assembly was exactly as it was when pre-drilled at the factory.

Trial fitting skins for riveting

With the back sheets on the nose was clecoed and a final inspection made. The only task left was to remove the clecos one at a time and fill the hole with either a dome or counter sunk rivets are required. 

The only holes not riveted were for the end fairings. 

More details in part 2

Mounting Frame
The assembly frame was manufactured from a standard hollow core door and was chosen as it is flat and machined all round. This provide's a flat and square face to fit 75 x 25 DAR pine creating a long narrow mount. Two blocks off 50 x 50 DAR pine were used to pack the rear of the elevator spar all allow both skins to be fitted [not shown].

When finished it will be used to provide a strong, torsional ridged and flat surface to assemble the elevators on.