Section 36 Aileron and Elevator Systems

RV14 Build April 24th

Aileron and Elevator Systems

Since Im waiting on the wings I decided to put the tail together and rig the elevator.


Now that everything is back together I tested the elevator travel and it was close to the travel for the control surface deflection memo, but almost 5 degrees off what the plans call for.

I didn't know about the memo at the time, I only had the plans so I started to grind on the AFT Deck per the instructions. This made me really nervous, but in the end I achieved the control surface deflection required.

Only need a little of the forward left elevator horn deck stop ground.

When I was building the fuselage, I took the opportunity to grind the stops at the control stick so they where basically good. Since I took so much material off the aft deck I did need to grind the stops a touch more at the control stick in the aft stick movement direction.

Up Deflection

Down Deflection

I then the template to adjust the elevator bell crank and the pushrod ends.

While I was climbed up into the tail I decided to hook up the Garmin Yaw servo cables.

Now time for a test for the elevator and rudder!

Aileron and Elevator Systems 6 hours

Garmin AutoPilot Servo 1 Hours

Section 36 Aileron and Elevator Systems

RV14 Build January & February 

Aileron and Elevator Systems

Continue on with the Control sticks. Match drilling holes and cleaning out extra powder coating.

Looking at the kit supplied poles to drill

The powder coating was basically right on for how deep the control tubes go into the control brackets.

The control tubes must be a hard metal because they did a number on my drill bits. I had to step up 6 but sizes to drill rather than the 21 then 19 the plans say.

The through bolt to connect the control stick brackets to bearings is bent! Hard to see in the picture, but it wont go through the 2 bearings and the bracket.

 Well I can install the one side at least.

Checked the angle of movement. I ground the stops evenly when the plane was upside down during the joining of the fuselage sections. I did double check again with paper and still even.

Angle of movement are good!

Bib delivery!! Hardware, new plug and play control sticks, tools Oh my!!!

Generic sticks vs the plug and play stick. I was going to cut the kit supplied ones and but the control handle but adding up the cost it didn't make sense, wish I would have realized this before I drilled the other tubes. Oh well now I have spares?

Had to take the control sticks apart to see how they are wired. I am having most of the wiring done by Stein or from the kit, But I really want to understand it. The best way for me to do that is go work in there shop for 6 months, but since thats not possible I reverse engineer what they send me to make sense of it all.

Drilling the new control tubes.

Im dumb! I drilled the holes in the wrong orientation. The co pilot stick will have an extra set of holes drilled in it.

My innovative small washer holder.

Washer install

 Side sticks installed!

Aileron and Elevator Systems 7.5 Hours

Section 36 Aileron and Elevator Systems

RV14 Build January & February 

Aileron and Elevator Systems

I thought I could install the push rods before I joined the empennage and the fuselage together to I prepped everything. Once I saw how I was going to have to be in the airplane to do some of the riveting I didn't want to have the push rods in the way so I didn't install them, but I did install some of the brackets.

I taped the end of the tube and poured primer down them to prime the insides.

It worked really well, left a heavy coat though, if weight is a concern maybe not the best method. I wanted to anodize them but I couldn't find a shop that would do small work.

Push rod tubes outside primed.

The template that came in the plans was a little small for the tubes, probably because the primer was too thick, so I used a black piece of paper marked the diameter and divided by 6 to find the drill holes.

Drilled the tubes

Match Drilled the caps

installed the pushrod end bearings to the measurements in the plans.

Had a little trouble with the tightness of the fit because the primer inside the tubes was too thick. Ran to harbor frieght got a heat gun and I was able to pull the parts apart again, sanded down the primer, LIGHTLY sprayed self etching on the metal and then reinstalled the end caps and the push rod bearings.

I was going to install the pushrods with the trim motor and bracket but them I was worried the rod would be in the way during mating the empennage to fuselage. But I thought I could install the bracket and motors anyway......wrong.

The plans have you install the pushrod on the bracket then inset the rod through the bulkhead and install the bracket.

With the empennage and fuselage together you can't get the pushrods through the bulckhead the opposite was the plans intended because there is a cross members in the fuselage that blocks it. So I have to pull the pitch trim motor and bracket to install the push rods. What I tried to do to save me work was a waste and added work! Dang it, oh well.

Aileron and Elevator Systems 10 Hours