Gap seals

Time flies when work is crazy.  Last post was in March...

Just about the last thing left on the build list is gap seals for the control surfaces.  To start, I used some blue painter's tape to determine how the gap seal worked relative to the hinge geometry.  The next sequence of photos shows starting from full deflection one way toward full deflection the other way.  There is definitely a point in the middle that is the, let's call it: "max stretch" where the tape is taut.  If there is any less material than that, the control surface wouldn't deflect all the way.  Good to know.  There will definitely be some slop in the gap seal material at anything other than the taut position.

I started with the rudder.  This photo shows mid-process with one side gap seal already glued to the rudder.  You see one side is bonded and the fabric ducks through the vertical tail (on the left) to rudder (on the right) gap; the flap of material is then similarly bonded to the vertical tail.

I did pre-shrink the gap seal fabric to 120C to make sure it didn't shrink during the adhesion phase (the covering glue joint is lightly ironed during this step).  It didn't work perfectly to pre-shrink, but it only has to keep out the air.

The horizontal tail was done using four pieces of fabric.  This was not quite as difficult since this fabric is just flat.

In related news, I took the motor system back off the nose section for some re-thought about how to support it with additional guy-wires or other structural member(s).  It won't be installed for the maiden, so it was going to come back off regardless.

I do have one piece of good news about the trailer.  It now has a VIN number.  Fourth letter to the DMV was the charm.  Each rejection cycle was about 3 months, so this has been quite the ordeal.  The final form has been mailed for a title and tags this time.  Keep your fingers crossed that the next mailing from the DMV is the actual tag.  With a tag, I can finally figure out final details about transporting Goat to an airfield.

Speaking of flying, if anyone has access to a good place for a maiden flight in the northern Virginia area some time late fall, I'm in the market and would love to make some new friends!  It'll be a whole sequence of low-altitude car-tows to start, so car access to the runway access is required.  A huge grass field with crops around is my thought.