SECTION 6 : EMPENNAGE
RV-8/8A
6-3
REV: 13
2/25/14
Remove the HS-00006 and HS-00005 ribs and flute as necessary between the rivet hole marks.
Reinstall the HS-00006 and HS-00005 ribs. Clamp HS-00006 to the HS-801PP skin and spar assembly.
Match Drill #30 and cleco the aft flange of HS-00005 rib to HS-603PP spar, using the holes in the spar as a drill
guide. Remove HS-00005, clean out any chips.
Match Drill #40 the holes in the aft flange of the HS-00006 rib to HS-702 and HS-00003.
Mark and drill #40 the two holes common to the HS-00003, HS-702, HS-810-1 or HS-814-1 on the forward side
of the spar bars, keeping the holes in line with the holes in the aft flange of the HS-00006. See SEC D-D.
Reinstall HS-00005. Align the centerline line drawn on the forward flange to the previously drilled holes in the
spar assembly and HS-00006 rib. Clamp the rib in place, making sure it fits tightly against HS-00003. Next,
cleco the aft flange of the HS-00005 rib to the aft spar. Finally clamp the top and bottom flanges to the HS-
801PP skin, then Match-drill the holes in the forward flange of the HS-00005 rib.
Cleco the ribs and spar assembly together.
Beginning at the rear spar and working forward, match drill the holes in the HS-801PP skins to the HS-00005
rib.
Be sure that the front flange of HS-00005, HS-702, HS-810-1 and HS-814-1, HS-00003 and the aft flange of
HS-00006 are pulled up tight. Re-clamp the upper and lower flanges of HS-00006 to HS-801PP.
Drill to final size or match drill all the remaining holes attaching the HS-801PP skin. The suggested drilling
sequence begins at the intersection of the HS-708 center rib and the rear spar and proceeds both up along the
rib and outward toward the tip. Put clecos in every second or third hole as you drill them.
Remove the skin and drill the remaining holes in HS-814-1, HS-8101 and HS-00003. Remove HS-810-1,
HS-814-1 and HS-00003.
Repeat the above steps for the right side.
PREPARING THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER PARTS FOR ASSEMBLY
Mark and disassemble all parts.
Deburr all the holes in both the skin and the skeleton (See “Hole Deburring”, Section 5.2).
Dimple the understructure using a pneumatic or hand squeezer. Dimple the rivet holes in the skins using a C-
frame dimpling tool (See Section 3).
Smooth the edges of the parts (See “Edge Finishing”, Section 5.2).
Prime all parts as required (See “Priming”, Section 5.1). The HS-609PP rear spar reinforcement bars, HS-810-1
reinforcement angle and HS-814-1 splice angle are not made of Alclad material, so before riveting, they must be
primed.
RIVETING THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER
Locate the rivet holes in the rear spar that will attach the HS-706, HS-708 and HS-00005 ribs and the HS-
412PP hinge brackets. Put tape over them to prevent accidentally riveting these holes before the ribs are
attached.
RV-8/8A
SECTION 6 : EMPENNAGE
6-4
REV: 13
2/25/14
Rivet the HS-609PP bars to the HS-603PP spar channels. The rivet callout is correct on the plans. See
Section 5.4. This can be accomplished with either a gun, pneumatic or hand squeezer. You may find it takes a
bit of "grunt" to set -4 rivets with a hand squeezer.
Rivet the HS-412PP and HS-413PP hinge brackets to the spar.
Bolt the HS-411PP center bearing to the spar (See Torque Value Chart, Section 5.20).
Rivet HS-810-1 and HS-814-1 and HS-00003 to the HS-702 front spars. Remember the flush rivets in the
center of the assembly (See View A-A and Section D-D.)
Rivet HS-00006 and HS-00005 to the front spar assembly. The ribs may be gently flexed out of the way to allow
better access during riveting.
Lay the HS-801PP skin marked for the left side down on a clean surface. Use foam padding if desired.
Cleco then rivet HS-707 to the top side of the skin.
Cleco HS-706 to the skin. Temporarily cleco HS-708 to HS-801PP and the aft flange of HS-707 to help hold the
skin tight against HS-707, then rivet the bottom side of HS-707 to HS-801PP. Remove HS-708.
Cleco the forward spar assembly to HS-706, HS-707 and HS-801PP, then cleco on HS-708.
Blind rivet HS-702 to HS-707 and HS-708.
Rivet HS-702 to HS-706.
Rivet HS-702 and HS-708 to HS-801PP.
Repeat the above steps for the right side then cleco on the rear spar assembly
Rivet the rear spar assembly, HS-00006, HS-00005 and HS-706 to HS-801PP. These holes can all be reached
by a hand squeezer.
Blind rivet the rear spar assembly to HS-708.
Congratulations! You've finished the first major sub-assembly on your new airplane.
BUILDING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER
The assembly of the vertical stab and following references can be found on DWG 6. Construction of the vertical
stabilizer is very similar to the horizontal stabilizer.
DRILLING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER
Cleco the VS-808PP spar doubler to the VS-803PP rear spar. Then cleco on the hinge brackets VS-410PP, VS
-411PP and VS-412PP (See Exploded Iso View).
The VS-410PP hinge brackets have two holes missing from the pattern. Use the holes in the spar channel and
spar doubler as drill guides and back-drill the entire six-hole pattern through the upper VS-410PP only. The
corner holes in the lower VS-410PP will be drilled for bolts later, in assembly with the fuselage (See DWG 78).
Prepare the ribs VS-704, VS-705, VS-706 and VS-707 (See “Edge Finishing”, “Fluting and Straightening Ribs
and Bulkheads”, Section 5.2 & 5.13).
