7 May 2019 the empennage is completed ! The empennage is a series of fix and moveable surfaces ensuring aircraft stability and maneuvering in pitch and yaw. The tail cone also part of the first kit is completed as well. Oh Happiness, after months of building, to actually assemble those parts and witness what looks like an aircraft tail !
The two elevators are linked to be moved together. Their construction is relatively complex as they incorpore some foam ribs, a lead arm to balance them and a trim to reduce the stick force as airspeed change. The tailcone, last big assembly of the empennage kit, is a beautiful 2.5 meters part where the fix and mobile surfaces will be attached. While drilling the stiffener on the side of this fuselage and despite the numerous warnings found in the plan and several forums, I manage to drill my finger ! Incredulity as painful as the hole itself !
18 April, the wing kit arrives, two heavy and long 120 kgs crates, the delivery man promises me not to be there in a year for the next kit ! I open them like a kid opens his Christmas gifts, beautiful ! Everything is there, well separated, packed and labelled, some professional work from Van’s Aircraft teams.
The rest of the build can take place….
SOME PICTURES :
