Week 3: Empennage

When Sam and I first started this plane project, I was worried it would completely take over our lives, leaving no room to enjoy life’s little moments. The complexity of building a plane and the time commitment it demanded seemed overwhelming. I feared we might lose sight of the smaller joys along the way. To make sure that didn’t happen, we recently took a couple of days off to celebrate a very special guy’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Sam!

The celebrations began with a surprise party at a 21-and-over miniature golf course. The quirky “follow-the-gold” holes and creative drinks made it an instant hit. Later, we headed to Virginia Beach with his son for a packed itinerary. Highlights included cracking codes in an escape room, an exhilarating round of disc golf, and indulging in a plethora of oysters at a cozy raw bar. Each activity added its own special touch, making it an unforgettable birthday experience.

Homework

At the end of last week, we began working on the rudder by pulling down parts, many of which needed fabrication. Earlier this week, we received some missing parts for the horizontal stabilizer, which also require fabrication, though we’re still waiting on the nose ribs.

At home, we used our band saw to cut the parts into their basic shapes. Once we’re back at the hangar, we’ll grind and sand them into their final dimensions, ensuring they’re smooth with no sharp edges or burrs.

Day One: Setting Up the Work Tent

This week has been another cold one, with several days barely climbing above freezing. Knowing the freezing temperatures weren’t going away anytime soon, we brainstormed ways to make our workspace more efficient. The idea of a plastic work tent was born.

What sounded simple turned out to be more challenging than expected. Securing the plastic tarp and sealing the area to retain heat took some trial and error. We started by hanging a plastic tarp as a ceiling but quickly realized we needed extra supports to prevent sagging. While the setup wasn’t perfect yet, we managed to get the workshop temperature into the 60s—a huge improvement from the sub-40 temperatures of the past two weeks.

Setting up the tent took most of the day. With the remaining time, Sam focused on grinding down and smoothing the edges of the rudder stiffeners he’d cut at home, while I removed the protective blue vinyl from the rivet lines on the rudder skin. We wrapped up early to enjoy a dinner date with my Great Uncle and Aunt.

Day Two: Prepping and Riveting the Rudder Stiffeners

We planned for a full day at the hangar. I continued removing the protective vinyl, while Sam finished fabricating a part for the horizontal stabilizer. Together, we clecoed the stiffeners onto the rudder skin to check for spacing conflicts before match-drilling the holes.

After disassembling everything, we prepped the stiffeners and skins for riveting. Using a back-riveting technique, I carefully placed and taped the rivets, followed by Sam using the rivet gun to form the shop heads. It wasn’t without challenges—our steel back-riveting plate is just 4 inches by 16 inches, making it tricky to align under the much larger rudder skin. There was a lot of checking and double-checking involved, but we got through it.

Day Three: Finalizing the Heating Tent and Rudder Assembly

Sam spent the morning solo finishing the heating tent while I worked at my part-time weekend job. With additional supports in place, the plastic ceiling was flatter and more taut, improving both comfort and efficiency. He also hung a curtain to better contain the heat, and it worked like a charm.

Once I was off work, I joined Sam in our much warmer workshop to resume work on the rudder. Together, we clecoed the rudder assembly, working as a team to check the fit while match-drilling the spar, ribs, brackets, and skins.

We ended the day by stopping at a favorite brewery just outside the airport. Over celebratory drinks, we reviewed the day’s progress and admired photos of the clecoed rudder, knowing the next step would involve breaking it down and preparing it for final assembly.

Day Four: Disassembling, Deburring, and Priming

We started the day by disassembling the rudder assembly for deburring, sanding rough edges, and dimpling components for flush rivets. Sam and I have settled into a routine for these tasks, playing to our strengths. I sand the tight nooks and crannies of the ribs, while Sam uses the grinder to bevel and deburr the long edges and each of us taking turns deburring the holes of each of the pieces.

After reviewing the part guide, we identified four un-alclad coated pieces and decided to prime them, setting them aside to dry. With all the prep work done, we called it a day, saving the next big task—riveting—for another session.

It’s been a fun-filled, cold, and productive week. This project has taught us so much about teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. We’re excited to see the rudder come together soon and look forward to tackling the next phase of building this plane.

We’re just a day or so away from completing the rudder. Meanwhile, the missing nose ribs for the horizontal stabilizer are making their way to us from Van’s, after quite the cross-country journey—from Oregon to New Jersey, back to Oregon, and then back to New Jersey. Here’s hoping the next leg of their trip brings them closer to Virginia!

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