Mounted the Empennage!

[BSwayze]

I reached an exciting milestone over the last week. I mounted the empennage on the fuselage for the first time! It's so much fun putting big pieces of the airplane together. Visitors who come by now say "Wow! It looks like an airplane!"



I'm always amazed how the rudder doubles the size of the tail. I hooked up the elevator pushrod. It's fun to walk to the front, reach in the cabin and grab the control stick and move the elevators up and down. I know it sounds silly, but it's fun. It must be a rite of passage after all this work, right?



I have more pics and a lot more detail on my website. The mating of the wings will come soon!

[cjensen]

AWESOME Bruce!! I did the same thing!! There is something special about moving the controls for the first time!

[bullojm1]

Bruce,

Looks great!

Are we mating the wings this weekend when I come over????????


- Mike B

[Spike]

Most excellent!

[hydroguy2]

Hooray!

you're gaining on me

[BSwayze]

Thanks a lot, guys!
I appreciate your comments.

Bruce,

Looks great!

Are we mating the wings this weekend when I come over????????

- Mike B

Mike, are you kidding me? That's a GREAT idea!!! I would really appreciate the help from some experienced hands. And the weather forecast is good, too, for the weekend and beyond. I'll have to get my butt in gear to get all the preparations made.

Looking forward to seeing you!

[1:1_Scale]

That looks GREAT Bruce! At what point do you plan to learn to FLY your contraption? I'm still a ways out, but trying to figure out a good time to start back up with the PPL work so that I'll have "enough" experience to fly the RV without killing me in aircraft rentals

[BSwayze]

Thanks, Kelly!

That's a great question, and I've been giving it a lot of consideration. Right now I'm thinking I'll start on my PPL next spring, about 10 or 12 months from now. We'll see how much more I can get done on the project between now and then, but that's what I'm thinking anyway. Stay in touch and let me know how you're doing on yours, okay? How's your RV coming along?

[Mike Balzer]

Bruce,
Nice work and quality documentation on your web site. I use yours and many other builders to for see what to expect on the next component that I am building and always look for good advice or problem areas.

I too don't have a PPL and plan on learning on a tail dragger aircraft only.

thanks,

mike balzer

[Bob Barrett]

If you don't have a PPL, you maybe better see if you can get some lessons now! You will have a much better understanding about some of things you are doing while building your airplane. My Throttle, Carb Heat, Mixture, and flaps are very similiar to what I was using in a Cessna 172. There may well be better arrangements but it makes the transition a little easier. There are other things about the cockpit that you may want to copy or avoid on your training aircraft during the building of your airplane! Even radio, Transponder, GPS could be different. Training airplane ususally don't have glass cockpits but five years from now gass cockpits are going to be almost a necessity. If you are building a tail-dragger be sure and learn in a tail dragger!!!!!!!

Most insurance companies are going to want you to have your license and probably more than 50 hours of time as a pilot. It sounds like one or both of you could have you airplane flying in a year or two. You could have a hard time getting 50 hours in the next two years.

[1:1_Scale]

Bruce, I've been making slow progress, but got the tailcone clecoed up last weekend, but it's be a crazy couple of weeks. I'd rather build than update my build log, but hate getting too far behind on that too.... I should make up a post about the installation of the Hotel Whiskey ER tanks at least.

Bob, thanks for the tips! I'm fortunate enough to have an instructor, Decathlon, and a Maule 235 in the family, too bad they're a 5 hour drive away! But a few long weekends could be very beneficial

[BSwayze]

Thanks, Bob,

Some valuable pointers to consider, for sure. I've never been quite sure how to try and do both at once. Build and fly, that is. There's only so much money and there's only so much time. I don't want to do either one poorly. I have been giving it more thought lately, so I know I'm close to putting some plans in action.

[Bob Barrett]

I fully recognize the difficulty of trying to build and fly at the same time especially when it comes to finances! However one of the things that cause a lot of accidents in homebuilt airplanes is licensed pilots let their flying skills detriote while building to finances and time constraints and then have an accident in the airplane during the test period! If you have family members or close friends who are pilots, you should also ask them for suggestions on the layout of the panel and cockpit. You can ask a consultant's opinion but remember you don't have do what the consultant suggests! Ask them to explain their reasoning and if you and another pilot friend buy what they are saying do it! If you don't even if you paid for the consolation, don't do it! That even goes for people like me who make suggestions on RB!

[BSwayze]

Thanks, Bob,

Once again, VERY GOOD points to consider. I do have a lot of friends and resources available here. And though I don't have my PPL yet, I've spent a lot of time in and around a cockpit and flown various types of aircraft. I'll definitely be seeking some good input and advice before I put that panel together.

[rv7garage]

A little late here, but I had to chime in and offer my congrats as well- looking great! You just keep wiggling that control stick, Bruce- it's very motivational

Myself, I finished the rudder this week, now on to the elevators. Time to order the wing kit??

[BSwayze]

Thank you, Paul. Yes, get that wing kit ordered. You'll be ready for it before you know it.

And, post some pictures!

[itisgood]

Bruce,
Good work!!!
I have yet to even start on the fuselage. It should be shipped next week.
When you get where you are, the ship begins to take shape and you get the feeling that it won't be tooooo long now!
dave

[dons]

Excellent Bruce. I've fallen so far behind in so many things, glad you are making good progress.