Hobby Shop repair assignment

[Frank v B]

Got an assignment from Roger at John's Hobbies to repair a 20 year old 45 size trainer.  The guy got it out of storage in the rafters and promptly dropped it...on its tail.  He did not save the broken pieces.  An unknown make of plane.

Assignment: build new tail feathers.  No indication of the stab or elevator size.  The rudder and fin were saved but trashed and previously (poorly) repaired.

Steps:
1) Checked the internet and googled the plans for the Goldberg Eagle 2 and calculated the stab span should be about 38% of the wing span; so 24".
2) measured the stab slot in the fuselage and that became the chord
3) just drew a 24" line on a piece of paper with a steel ruler to mark the trailing edge (datum line) of the stab.  Drew one half of the stab the way I wanted it and marked the centre line (12" span).  Folded the paper in half along the centreline and put a pin prick through the paper on the datum line. 
4) Unfolded the paper and joined the dots.  A perfectly symmetrical stab.
5) measured the height of the stab slot and proved the old stab used 1/4" thick balsa wood

built the stab in about 45 minutes.  Open structure with diagonal bracing.

Fin and Rudder
- put the old one on a piece of paper and marked the corners of the assembly on the paper and connected the dots.  Total build time 15 minutes.

Now have to repair the fuse (a piece of the wing saddle missing) and cover the tail feathers.

Regards,

Frank

Note: the way I price these things: I give Roger my material costs he will charge the customer a fair price for the work and then pay me for my labour based on that.  You have to keep in mind the plane was originally built using $1.00 a day labour and I am worth at least twice that!    I just enjoy the challenge.  Roger has always been fair with me.  He knows that if he is not fair, I will stop doing the work.

[sihinch]

Frank, sounds fabulous! Would love to see it (hint, hint - pictures!!!)

[octagon]

Is there a building class on Wednesday?

[sihinch]

No

[Frank v B]

I dropped off the repaired plane at John's Hobbies today.  Job complete.  They were impressed.

Frank