Shortening Elite elevator + Rudder

[Alan Hepburn]

Mike:

I think you have to do it off the airplane. The spades are just too floppy,
and it's vital to get the alignment right both vertically and laterally, so
I wouldn't risk it on anything but a table. It's a pain taking that
stabiliser off and on, but ut gets easier with practice! In fact, I'm just
off to the paint shop today to take mine off prior to painting. While
you're at it, replace the nuts on that hold the stab. attach brackets to the
fuselage with captive nuts. That way, you'll be able to shim the stab
incidence later without removing the thing again. Much worse to have to
remove it once it's painted, where it'd be almost impossible to avoid
scratching it.

On the rudder, you need about 30* of movement each way, so trim accordingly.

Al
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Betti" <mbetti@up.net>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 7:29 PM
Subject: Re: Shortening Elite elevator

Al,
Did you cut down the elevator while if was still mounted on the fuselage?
Mike Betti
771E
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Hepburn" <ahepburn@renc.igs.net>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2005 6:32 PM
Subject: Re: Shortening Elite elevator

Yep, this is close to becoming a standard mod. for the Elite. You can
just
cut the spades roughly in half span-wise - whatever leaves you with

5/16"

edge allowance on the central rivet hole. I have not yet flown my
aircraft
(close though) so can't report personally on flying qualities. I did

put

a
doubler about 1 1/2" wide and 6" long under the skins, and put a doubler
over the junction of the two ribs about 6" long to compensate for lost
stiffness in the spade.

Al Hepburn

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey Steenson" <jsteenson1@comcast.net>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2005 6:29 PM
Subject: Shortening Elite elevator

Dear Builders,

While accomplishing the elevator horn modification, I am weighing

whether

to

shorten the elevator balance at each outboard end by three inches.

Robin

Dyck said that this greatly improved handling on the Elite he flew, and
it
is apparently a modification that MAM are thinking about doing.

Has anyone here done this? One approach has been to cut off the three
inches with a die grinder and use the end skin as a drilling guide in

order

to reuse the ribs.

Shortening the flying surfaces seems like a big enough deal that I
thought

I

should ask around!

Best wishes,

Jeffrey Steenson
E714





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