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Stabilator tip fairings?

ravenstar

Well Known Member
My RV-12iS empennage kit is only a few weeks away now, but I've been waffling on whether I want to include the optional stabilator tip fairings. My dilemma is simple: Hangar space is very difficult to come by in my area, so I may well want to take advantage of the ability to trailer the finished aircraft back to my home for storage and maintenance. I really don't want to make that decision now though when the finished product is still years off.

Can anyone with an RV-12iS tell me how difficult it would be to install the tip fairings after the plane is substantially complete rather than during the stabilator construction? From what I've found on the web it looks like in the early RV-12s, adding the fairings originally required removing the end ribs in the stabilator to replace them with new ribs compatible with the fairings. Are the fairings even worth considering, other than for the minor cosmetic value?

Thanks!
 
You never mention specifically how the stabilator tip fairings affect trailering but I'm going to assume "width" and the laws around width of towed items on the road. Go ahead and install them now, before your plane is painted, and add a 2"x4" (with the loading end tapered like a ramp) to your trailer on one main gear side. The tilt will make your plane more narrow than when flat.

There are many engineers building RVs and they could weigh in on the exact lift on one side you would need to take your stabilator back to 8'.
 
I recently completed the empennage and went with the stabilator fairings. The fairing kit comes with 2 extra ribs with lighting holes and you don't use the solid ribs that come with the kit.
Personally I like the finished look the fairings give the plane.
 
A compromise might be to just not rivet the end ribs on until the airplane is completed. At that time the decision could be made as to whether install the tips or not.

Jim
 
A compromise might be to just not rivet the end ribs on until the airplane is completed. At that time the decision could be made as to whether install the tips or not.
Jim

This is what I ended up doing. If I recall correctly, I heard a rumor or saw a photo of a factory plane with the fairings (maybe it was shown on the block diagram at the beginning of the KAI).. but anyway, I only cleco'd the outboard-most ribs into the stabilator and left it that way for a year.

When the fairings were released, I disposed of the old ribs, and installed the new ribs and fairings. With a dremel and some round sanding bits, I think it took about 3/4 of a day to rivet them on. They really do add a more "finished" look to the plane.

Although perhaps illegal to trailer the plane with them on, no cop is going to sit on the side of the road with a certified tape measure and get you for your load being 2" too wide.
 
I originally built my stabilator with the standard outboard ribs. Later, when they became available, I drilled out a bunch of rivets and added the optional tip fairings. If I was building the stabilator now and wasn’t sure about what tips I wanted, I would just use Clecoes to install the standard outboard ribs until I made a final decision.
 
Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the options. I'll keep the fairings in the order and make the decision later.
 
Here is a closeup pic of someone else's 12 at my local airport. Would it be illegal to transport with the fairings on?

My RV-12iS empennage kit is only a few weeks away now, but I've been waffling on whether I want to include the optional stabilator tip fairings. My dilemma is simple: Hangar space is very difficult to come by in my area, so I may well want to take advantage of the ability to trailer the finished aircraft back to my home for storage and maintenance. I really don't want to make that decision now though when the finished product is still years off.

Can anyone with an RV-12iS tell me how difficult it would be to install the tip fairings after the plane is substantially complete rather than during the stabilator construction? From what I've found on the web it looks like in the early RV-12s, adding the fairings originally required removing the end ribs in the stabilator to replace them with new ribs compatible with the fairings. Are the fairings even worth considering, other than for the minor cosmetic value?

Thanks!
 

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Would it be illegal to transport with the fairings on?

Might be over-width by a bit. The plans show 8', and I think that's without the tips. Normal max width is 8'6", so the question is do the tips add more than 3" on each side?

In any case, it would be so close that no one would ever stop you to measure. OTOH, if you're trying to get the tail inside an enclosed trailer, then 8' might be the limit.

Edit: If I was really planning on doing it, I might certify without the tips, then do the mods with nutplates so I could remove the tips if/when necessary.
 
Might be over-width by a bit. The plans show 8', and I think that's without the tips. Normal max width is 8'6", so the question is do the tips add more than 3" on each side?

Again, a little tilt will make the width of the trailered stabilator narrower.

Either use a 2"x4" on the floor of the trailer along one main gear to create the tilt OR perhaps letting the air out of one main gear tire and refilling at destination would be enough (However this method will be troublesome if you have wheel pants). Pretty simple fix and one that does not require special fittings, removing, replacing the wing tip fairings.
 
Reposting, my math was bad. It's about 20 degree tilt to reduce 8'6" to 8'.

math.degrees(math.acos(96.0/102.0)) = 19.75
 
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