Chapter 5 - Fuselage
5.12 - Vertical and horizontal stabilizers
Page 69
5.12.2
Installing the horizontal stabilizer
Prepare both the horizontal stabilizer and the fuselage surfaces adjacent to the
cutout for gluing (clean and roughen the surfaces to be glued with BID tape as described
in the procedures section). Optionally, you can use small pieces of plywood to fix the
stabilizer in the desired location, which includes setting the hinge line at the station 203
centering and leveling from side to side, and setting the incidence of 0º in relation to the
fuselage level lines. Also define the hinge line carefully squared with the fuselage
centerline, measuring forward to the firewall at each end.
The chord line of the horizontal section of symmetrical airfoil must be nominally
defined in WL 3.5 (level line in inches).
When these measurements are satisfied, fill the main portions of the spacing
between the horizontal stabilizer and the oversized cut with a FLOX paste . Allow this
paste to cure, then trim the excess (including spare pieces of wood for surface
positioning).
Prepare the stabilizer surfaces and adjoining fuselage interior and exterior surfaces
for gluing. Clean and rough all areas to be covered and remove any loose material. Then
construct a fillet (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch radius) from a FLOX paste relatively dry between
the sides of the fuselage and the lower surface of the stabilizer. This collage will be done
inside and