SECTION 10
ENGINE MOUNT, WHEELS, BRAKES AND FAIRINGS
RV-8/8A
10-11
8-s10r9 7/11/11
EMPENNAGE FAIRING
The F-868 and F-8106 empennage fairings are shown on DWG 43. The F-8106 fairing is trimmed to fit as shown,
then drilled to match the skin. The screws that hold it to the fuselage thread into holes in the longeron that are
tapped to accept them -- there are no nutplates on the inside of the longeron. See Section H-H.
The F-868 fairing fits around both the vertical and horizontal stabilizers and is attached with screws. Because of the
nature of this intersection, it is almost impossible to provide a pre-molded fairing that fits every airplane perfectly.
You may expect to rework the fairing to fit
your
airplane. This may involve trimming or adding fiberglass in places to
achieve a good fit.
The F-868 fairing is made from epoxy resin and epoxies should be used for any modifications. The surface of the
fairing should be filled and sanded before painting. Follow the directions for finishing the cowl in Section 12.
WING ROOT FAIRINGS
F-872A and F-872B are simple fairings that cover the gap between the fuselage and the wing and are shown on
DWG 43. The wings and flaps must be on the fuselage while these fairings are fitted. Fit the rubber channel shown
in Sect. A-A and B-B to the edges of the fairings and wrap the fairings around the leading edge of the wing, being
careful to prevent any twist or buckle. The two fairings are aligned to one another with a match hole in the joggled
section.
Drill for the screw holes shown.
Make sure the flap is in the fully retracted position. Tape the F-872C Flap Fairing to the side of the fuselage and
adjust its position as shown in View E-E and Section D-D. Trim or file slightly as needed. When the final position is
determined, secure the fairing (an extra set of hands is helpful) and drill it from inside the fuselage, using the pre-
punched holes as a guide.
RV-8/8A
SECTION 10
ENGINE MOUNT, WHEELS, BRAKES AND FAIRINGS
10-12
8-s10r9 7/11/11
The following photos and text illustrate how we fabricated the gear leg to wheel fairing intersection fairings on
our RV-10 prototype. Use a similar method to make the upper fairings.
Top left: The wheel pant and gear leg are installed and aligned to
their flying position, as explained in the builder’s manual.
Top right: Before installation, a simple grid was drawn on the in-
board side of the wheel pant. Without this reference, the swoopy
intersection fairing would be almost impossible to make symmetri-
cal.
Middle left:: Oil-based modeling clay is applied to the intersection.
Middle right: Careful work with trimming tools like the one on the
floor (simply an loop of crate banding strap attached to a wood
handle. It works better if it isn’t sharp), a damp spoon and a
scraper made from a section of plastic milk jug streamlines the clay
shape.
Bottom left: The intersection fairing will be a separate piece. It is
not bonded to the wheel pant, so the pant is covered with a re-
lease solution or mylar tape. Strips of fiberglass cloth are laid up
with resin. Be sure to cut all the cloth strips you will need before
you start the lay-up.
