Rudder Faring Top - Part 3

The kit is supplied with two fiberglass faring to for the top and bottom of the rudder. 

Top Faring Installation

Scribe Line

The top faring has to be trimmed to the correct overall height. The factory has marked this with a scribed line on the outside of the skin. This should be filled either with a pencil or felt pen to make it clearer when sanding. The faring was initially sanded on a disc sander until it was about 1.5 mm from the scribed line. 

Top Faring Sanding

It was next placed on a flat surface on a sheet of 80 grit aluminium open cut paper and hand sanded to the line. The final adjustment's were made using 80 grit aluminium cut paper wrapped about a 50 x 25 DAR piece of pine.

Fitting

Marking jig

Trail fitting of the faring showed no issues when installed over the aluminum strips installed previously for this purpose. The faring was taped into position to secure it into it's correct location.

The holes for mounting were pitched at 60 mm using the existing rivets as a guide. Locations were then transferred using a small aluminum jig with a reference line marked with a square. 

It was placed on a rivet center and its center transferred to the faring. The correct location for the horizontal was also transferred to the faring at each location.


The faring was removed and the marked holes drilled 9/64'' and the faring re-installed. The locations were marked with a felt pen and the faring removed to allow the holes to be drilled with a 1/8'' drill. The faring was re-installed and fully clecoed and fixed with 1/8'' pop rivets. 

Note: The holes in the fiberglass were drilled oversize to try reduce pressure slightly when begin riveted.

Fitted and ready to rivet