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Cholley6

Active Member
Hi all, I finally decided to pull the trigger on a -10 Tail kit, builder number assigned! Question is what next? Tools are beginning to show up and starting to plan my workspace. Kit will be a few months getting here. Are there any big building decision that need to be made prior to getting started on the tail kit? Rudder trim or anything else?
 
If you are new to riveting, buy some scrap metal, some AD3 and AD4 (both "standard" and countersunk) rivets from AC spruce, practice riveting, practice drilling them out.
Rudder trim: this will elicit lots of opinions, from "fixed wedge" to "adjustable spring on the pedals" to "electrically driven tab on the rudder". Personally, I have a fixed wedge and am happy. OTOH if you plan to frequently carry back-seat passengers who are subject to air sickness, you might want to buy an autopilot with a "yaw dampener", in which case you'll want the electric trim tab.
 
Welcome to the club. I suggest joining the RV-10 Facebook group if you haven’t.. lots of good building questions get asked there, and if you do ask something you get a lot of replies in a short amount of time, which is useful to continue working.

Watching some of the YouTube builders helped me get the confidence to get going, and some of the builder blogs have good info and tips/tricks as well.
 
To add to Bob's reply. You could purchase one of the Vans practice kits to work on your skills.

Another rudder trim option is a tab riveted to the trailing edge of the rudder that can be bent to provide the trim required.

Prime or not to prime, that is the question. Lots of opinions, lots of options. What is best for you.

What are you going to do for your static ports. Vans stock or aftermarket. But you don't need to know that when you start, but it will be easier to install as you are building the empennage.
 
No trim

The -10 climbs between 1500 FPM and 2,000 FPM so your right leg can easily handle a 5 minute climb to 7,500’, if you’re going that high.

Furthermore, by eliminating another electric trim device, you’re saving weight, money and time. KISS applies here.

Regards,
 
Yaw servo

As others have stated using rudder for a few minutes is not a big deal. I find the 14 to need even less rudder than most hi performance singles I've flown. Although limited experience the 10 seems similar. I've always wondered about fixed tabs you can bend as a solution. Seems climb you need a certain setting and cruise a different setting. The adjustable "knob" trim seems you need to change climb and cruise so why not just apply right rudder for a few minutes instead of making 2 adjustments with the knob? The yaw servo installs direct to the rudder cables and no additional hardware is needed, I'm pretty sure.
 
Thanks for the replies. I guess I wasn't trying to start a debate on if rudder trim is needed or not. I was wondering if there were any decisions I needed to make before starting the tail kit. Seems like I read of people talking about mods that are easier to do before getting too far along and I am still so ignorant I feel like I don't know what questions I should be asking.

I just received the light box and another practice kit. I still have several months before my real kit makes it in.

One more question, how long does the tail kit typically take in construction hours? It seems like the lead time on all the kits keeps getting longer. I don't want to order something else before I know I enjoy building, but I don't want to wait too long and have a gap in projects.
 
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