Although we haven't updated the site for 6 days, and spent some time out of town, we did get some stuff done. First of all, Alex was busy priming/sealing elevator parts.

We also riveted the elevator trim servo assembly. Note that for the aft rivet, we elected to double countersink in order to get enough clearance between the shop head and the trim servo. That's the reason why it looks too flat.

Riveting the understructure. Some of the most important rivets, as they will carry control forces from the flight controls into the elevator structure.

Finally, both understructures completed.

For the AN470 rivets, we used again 3 layers of kapton tape over the rivet set. This led to beatiful heads without any smilies.



Same part from the inside.

Another small item, bending the left elevator skin where the trim tab will be mounted later on.

Turned out much better than expected. Lots of builders decide to replace the bends with a riblet made of stock aluminum. This would have been our plan B if the suggested technique by Van's hadn't worked out.