Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 11: Empennage Attachment (part 3)

Reference: pages 11-06; 2.0 hours

With the zinc chromate dry on the trim parts it's time to start assembly of the trim system for the RV-12 aircraft.

Steps 2 & 4: Rivet the nutplate to the servo tray (this is the older design new kits use molex plug). Also rivet the Doublers on the out side of the tray. NOTE: Direction of rivet head placement as specified by Van's Aircraft.





Step 6: Install the srevo on the trim tray.

Builder's note: Don't forget the doublers as I did during the first assembly! Also the RV-12 plans call out AN526-632R8 screws, but these were not supplied with my kit and are not listed on the hardware lists supplied by Van's Aircraft. However, the kit did come with AN526C-632R8 (stainless steel) so I used these instead. If I find this to be an error I will list it later as a Builder's Gotcha.



Step 7: Gives instructions on how to strip and double over the wire before installing the spade connectors.

Step 8: Deburred the servo link F-1287C (per RV-12 plans only deburr one side only of the bushing hole) and the Servo Tray previously.



Step 9: Insert the bushings into the link and servo tray.





Step 10: Filed the bushings to the dimensions given in this step by Van's Aircraft.

Builder's note: I used a thin washer as a file guide to keep the bushings square to almost the final thickness and then used thin aluminum sheet as a guide to finish these.





Step 11: Inserted the wire bushing and the servo wired into the tray.



Step 12: Installed one male terminal on one of the white wires coming out of the servo and female connectors to the remaining 6 wires.



Step 13: Crimped one female connector on one fo the white wires comming out of the tailcone trim wires and male connectors on the remaining 6 wires comming from the RV-12 tailcone.



Step 14: Inserted the servo wire leads through the cushion clamp and installed it temporarily.



This completes page 11-06 an this log entry. Please note many of the pictures above show no servo doublers installed on the servo, this is wrong and has been corrected later in my build!

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 11: Empennage Attachment (part 2)

Reference: pages 11-05, -06; 2.0 hours

Today continues the attachment fo the Empennage on the RV-12 airplane. I should note that there has been a update to this section by Van's Aircraft which replaces the spade connectors on the RV-12 airplanes trim system with a molex connector. After thinking long and hard about this I stayed with the original design. As the spade connectors have not given anyone problems and I like the use of the cushion clamp for strain relief of the wires.

Step 1-3 Separate the servo doublers, servo tray and the Clevis plates. Then deburr them.



Step 4: Fabricate the two spacers from the 5/16 inch aluminum tubing.



This completes page 11-05.

Reference: 11-06.

Step 1: Countersink for the nutplate attach rivet holes.



Step 4 & 5: Cleco the trim servo and Doublers to the servo tray and match drill the center holes, final drill the end holes.





This completes this entry. I still have to prime the parts I have been working on before assembly the stabilator trim system for the RV-12.