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Elite Elevator Project Page

Elevator Assembly

The Elevator is presently complete to the pre-closing inspection stage, it will be inspected when the remaining sections requiring this inspection are ready.

Photos:

Elevator Assembly

This photo shows the reinforcing structure in the centre portion of the Elevator.

The "V" portion of the elevator.

The internal parts of the Elevator and all other components are painted with a corrosion resistant primer prior to assembly.

Centre portion of the Elevator structure ready for pre-closing inspection.

The outboard elevator balance weight is bolted to the inside face of the rib.

The inboard elevator balance weight is mounted like the outer but is half the size.

The Elevator is complete and ready for inspection.

Elevator Revisions

Well, we thought the elevator was finished up to inspection but a service bulletin based on the experiences of one flying Rebel and suggestions from a Super Rebel builder sent us back to make some updates to the elevator. The Rebel pilot experienced a fluttering elevator when the trim tab horn broke free of the skin because of lack of reinforcement. We have added a rib under the trim horn and made it's footprint longer.

The other revision involved adding a fitting to join the trim spar to the adjacent ribs, so it is supported by something more than just the skin. This method is called out in the Rebel manual but not our Elite. We first heard about it from an SR builder as it was the same on their kit.

Here we see the trim tab disassembled, the old trim horn is at the right & the new longer one at the left, the new rib is beside the spar at the right.

Inside the Elevator trim tab looking at the end rib. The new rib will be beside it and the horn will be mounted below it.

This angle reinforcement joins the trim spar to the rib beside it, another is added at the other end of the spar. As you can see the trim spar & trim tab were only supported by the skin. It will be painted before installation.

Here we see the support strips that carry the PEM threaded inserts that the screws holding the elevator trim mount plate thread into. The screws replace the kit rivets. The strip is already installed under the lip of the rib in the background and held with countersunk Avex rivets, the strips for the rib in the foreground and the elevator spar are made but not fitted. You can see the trim spar reinforcement installed in the background.

Now the elevator is ready for inspection!

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