John's RV-10 Building Site
The Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder
RV-10 Home
The Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder
The Horizontal Stabilizer
Elevators
Tail Cone
Empennage Assembly
Wings #1
Wings #2
Wings #3
Polishing
Fuselage #1
Fuselage #2
Fuselage #3 - Latest
Canopy - NEW!
Baggage Area
Electrical - Ongoing
Autopilot Servos
Builder's Log
Favorite Links
Contact Me

This is how it starts. Here I am buying the RV-10 empennage kit from Van himself at Sun 'n fun, April 8th, 2006. That's my brother, Bob, and early RV-4 builder  behind me.

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The Big Purchase

It took me a year to commit. I first got the bug when my brother & I flew down to Sun 'n fun back in 2005. I spent a year looking at all the different kits available, but it was no contest - the RV-10.

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Preparing the garage

After ordering the kit, I got to work preparing my back garage to become an aircraft factory. It's 30 by 40 with 10 foot ceilings. Just a few months before this photo, there was no sheetrock or insulation. After hauling out 9 truckloads of accumulated junk, finishing & painting the walls, I was ready to fix it up. Notice the overhead pneumatic system. The compressor is outside where I can't hear it.

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The Kit Arrives

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Inventory is complete

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The vertical stabilizer is clecoed together. Still needs to be drilled & deburred.

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Dimpling some parts for the Rudder

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The Rudder is complete

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Kit is on the floor ready for inventory

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Starting the Vertical Stabilizer

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My wife helps bucking rivets. I've since discovered she is even better with the rivet gun

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The leading edge of the Rudder is rolled and deburred

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Starting on the Horizontal Stabilizer. This is the aft spar.

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