This task proved to be a Very long one. The objective tonight was to install the elevators and bolt the canard to the airframe to measure and verify ALL angles were correct. Well, I'm pleased to say that 90% of it was dead on but the last 10% took 5 hours to straighten out. I first assembled the canard with ALL hardware that the plans call out for to check true fit. I then bolted it to the fuse and started seeing that the elevators weren't completely aligned with each other. In other words one was higher than another by almost 3 degrees! I studied the assembly and found that the bolt that goes through the torque tube for the left elevator was not a flush fit and had play in it. Completely unacceptable and dangerous. I then studied the plans enough to make me wonder why Burt didn't just have the builder add rivets to make the assembly solid? So then...I added rivets. 1 for now and 2 more when they arrive from Aircraft Spruce. After using a digital level, measuring each elevator in 3 locations for alignment and proper throw I set the rivets and smiled. Problem solved. The next task was to check for the 0 degree position. This position would dictate where the trailing edge of my new wing tips would end up and to my surprize and joy I won't need much re-shaping meaning I won't need anymore glass work :)
