Waiex stabilalor rear spar.

[wingnut]

I have my stabilalor's assembled mostly except for the rear thick Y bar that attaches to the fuselage since it wasn't included in the tail kit. In attaching the rear of the ribs to the rear spar the plans say to use flush rivets apparently so that bar can be attached later instead of attaching it through the ribs, spar and Y bar with the long protruding rivets the way the front spar and ribs are done. Sonex didn't send the 25 flush rivets required to do that so rather than order them and have to dimple the ribs and spar to use them I asked Sonex if I could wait for the rest of the kit to arrive in 4 weeks and do the rear with the long rivets at that time and that way it's also attached to the ribs and spar like the front. Sonex is sending me the flush rivets and didn't answer if I could do the rear the same as the front. Am I lazy by wanting to skip the flush rivets and duplicate the front. A #30 rivet should have the same strength regardless of the head I think and the bar is actually attached in more locations than if it passed over the flush rivets that would be underneath with the flush rivets already in place. Hope I'm not making a mountain out of a mole hill. Wingnut

[GordonTurner]

Hi Wingnut

This is a highly critical structural member. Don’t make any modification without specific approval from Sonex. It’s the law of unintended consequences. You make one thing stronger or stiffer, the load moves to somewhere else it wasn’t intended....

Enjoy the build, Gordon

[Rynoth]

...do the rear with the long rivets at that time and that way it's also attached to the ribs and spar like the front.

Would this not require you to drill additional holes in the thick aft spar pieces to align with the holes of the stabilator ribs? I wouldn't drill any additional holes in the spar.

[wingnut]

Since I don't have the rear spar attachment yet I don't know if it has the tiny alignment holes that the front one had which allowed it to be riveted through all 3 pieces which seems like a much stronger arrangement. They are shipping the flush rivets so I'll probably go ahead and dimple and use them.
If the attachment bar has pilot holes at the rib ends when the kit arrives then I'm going to have to wonder if it wouldn't have been just as good or better to have duplicated the front one. Thanks