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elevator trailing edge question

S

Stockmanreef

Well Known Member
I found the answer to my first question: is the trailing edge installed with the thicker side towards the aft (trailing edge)? Indeed it is based on another post here in the -14 section.

my question here is about the tapering the tailing edge (E-01423) at the tip where the fiber glass tip is installed. The plans state to file down so that it will match the fiber glass. Not sure how to measure this exactly.

Should it just be filed down a bit more than needed so that it can be back filled when working with the fiber glass? Or should I cut the fiber glass as per the plans and put the fiber glass (later section) in place to determine the correct thickness?

thanks
 
tapering elevator trailing edge wedge

I tapered down the trailing edge of the wedge to the thickness of its leading edge at the end, inboard to about 1.5" from its end. Everything came out pretty good.
 
I based the wedge reduction in size of the trailing edge on the fiberglass blanks by a combination of measurement to get started and then fine tuned by holding the fiberglass piece up against the Cleco'd trailing edge,and adjusting as needed.

I tried to match as closely as possible to avoid any filling later.
 
I passed an email to Van's on this a while back:

-----------------
I'm having trouble making the part as shown in Figure 3 on page 9-8 in the RV-14 empennage. I've not installed the tip fairings before so I don't know how to judge if I've shaved the TE to the right thickness or not. Is there a measurement of a typical thickness that is close to correct?

Sterling Langrell <[email protected]>
4/14/14
to me

"The thickness of this part is going to end up being around .100 to .125. This is not a critical area. Keep in mind that the only reason this is altered is to smooth out the transition to the fiberglass part and should me matched up to that."
 
Trailing Edge wedge

I messed up my first set when I put the tip fairings to the ends of the clecoed assemblies to the part where you taper them... and the trailing edge of the fairing wouldn't fit in with the wedge there. I will leave it at that. Still slightly embarrassed. So I was then reminded we are supposed to read all the way through the plans which I had done but it was all like drinking from a firehose and a lot for a noob to absorb.

So in chapter 11 it shows where the fairing trailing edges get trimmed to clear the wedge. I trimmed mine and they fit into the clecoed assembly really nice and gave a good guide to tapering the thickness.

And Jeff from Simpsonville SC whose handle I cannot recall has an excellent blog on his build and a number of excellent photos of N214VA's elevator that shows that taper.

Hope some of this helps. The trimming per chapter 12 gave me a very nice fitup.
 
Chapter 11 chapter 12.... its past my bedtime... its in the chapter with the fairing trimming.



TedsNumberOneSon said:
I messed up my first set when I put the tip fairings to the ends of the clecoed assemblies to the part where you taper them... and the trailing edge of the fairing wouldn't fit in with the wedge there. I will leave it at that. Still slightly embarrassed. So I was then reminded we are supposed to read all the way through the plans which I had done but it was all like drinking from a firehose and a lot for a noob to absorb.

So in chapter 11 it shows where the fairing trailing edges get trimmed to clear the wedge. I trimmed mine and they fit into the clecoed assembly really nice and gave a good guide to tapering the thickness.

And Jeff from Simpsonville SC whose handle I cannot recall has an excellent blog on his build and a number of excellent photos of N214VA's elevator that shows that taper.

Hope some of this helps. The trimming per chapter 12 gave me a very nice fitup.
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