FLIGHT CONTROLS

I have been doing this work for the last eight years. I have learned and borrowed a lot of techniques for achieving extremely nice results. Many of these are trade secrets, and I won't be revealing them here, but, obviously, the right tool for the job is no secret. That is where we will start.

 

The right tools for the job, of flight controls include fixtures, correct size rivet guns, good selection of bucking bars, drills of different sizes and speeds, pneumatic rivet squeezers, rivet shavers, and, of coarse, a "Bag-O-Tricks."

Trying to assemble a flight control without a fixture is like trying to "wrestle a noodle". I never liked being a "noodle wrestler". That is why I became a machinist, so I could make good efficient fixtures to tight tolerances. A properly shaped but internally over-stressed flight control will work for a while. But those stresses will eventually relieve themselves, in the form of cracks. By using a proper fixture, the internal stresses will be minimized because the pivots will all be properly aligned with each other. The trailing edge will be properly aligned with the pivots and the control will fit the airplane. A well designed trailing edge support along with a rivet squeezer, will make trailing edges that are straight as an arrow and avoid the "potato chip look." This will also avoid more internal stresses.

Previously, I used universal fixtures but these were a frustration to me because they were "Jack of all, master of none." I now make a fixture for each application. This takes a bit more time at first, but it is extremely nice, because once it is adjusted, it is adjusted forever. This is extremely efficient over the long run. Another bonus is that if I have to wait on parts, my whole operation does not grind to a stop.

We disassemble, clean, inspect, and prime the parts prior to assembly for maximum corrosion resistance. And to protect from dissimilar metal corrosion with the lead counter weights, we use a thin coat of polysulfide rubberized calk. This helps keep the lead and aluminum from swapping electrons which rots the aluminum.