So much happened in a short amount of time. The aircraft restorer, Rosie, her husband, and I descended on my sister’s hangar to closely inspect and remove her ruddervators and stabilators.
The restorer brought knowledge and experience along with his tools and extra moving blankets. Tucked under his arm he also brought some light reading for me; a hard copy of a tail Airworthiness Directive (AD) from 2002 relating to the Bonanza.
Rosie and her husband brought experience in working with the restorer along with tables and homemade peanut butter cookies for sustenance while I brought the shop manual and maintenance manuals for review along moving blankets to wrap the ruddervators and stabilators in after removal.
After removal of the tail surfaces, it was easier to look at the bolts and casting and remove them to inspect the bulkhead.
Under the restorer’s supervision, the ruddervators and stabilators were removed in quick succession. My sister’s hangar is not heated so the last-minute decision to bring a space heater proved quite helpful for all concerned.
In the restorer’s previous life, he had worked at a Beechcraft service center as their Director of QA and still holds an IA and A&P certificates. He has owned two early model Bonanzas (C and H models) and is quite fond of them.
During daily banter, it has been surprising how much of early Bonanza systems and general Beechcraft knowledge is coming back. For not really studying systems until recently outside of what is required to fly and routinely maintain the airplane, it’s been eye-opening.
The rigging cables were tagged before removing the screws attaching them to the ruddervators. Once the screws were removed, the cables were pulled out of the ruddervators careful to not do damage to either the cables or the ruddervators themselves.
The actual removal of the ruddervators and stabilators took less time than I thought it would.
Reaching the bolts was the hardest part of the process – once they were removed the ruddervators came off without issue.
After a short cookie break – thank you for the yummy sustenance – it was time for the stabilators to be removed.
Like the process with the ruddervators, everything happened quicker and with less foul language than I thought possible. Removal of the upper stabilator spar bolts had no resistance from the airplane. The lower stabilator spar bolts did not want to come out at first. After discussion of a breaker bar and Kroil to help the process and we realized neither were brought, my sister decided she would be less snarky and let the bolts come out.
Like the ruddervators, the actual removal of the stabilator was remarkably quick. Lifting off to be wrapped in moving blankets and taped before going into the back of my car next to the ruddervators.
The casting that held the control surfaces onto the aft bulkhead was then easier to access. Several of the bolts holding the casting on appeared older than the casting which looked quite new for a 75-year-old airplane.
Some bolts were easier to remove than others and some had been reused. Rosie remarked that the most outside bolt on the right side was only finger tight, both lower outside bolts holding the casting to the aft bulkhead were loose compared to the others. The top 3 bolts in comparison were hard to reach and remove.
After removal of the casting from the aft bulkhead visual inspection of the bulkhead appears positive. A closer inspection will be made down the road, but for now it looked good.
Attention towards the casting shows some areas where there had been movement and possibly one hole purposely made larger. Score marks on one of the holes where the stabilator attaches which appear to be from a drill.
My sister’s hangar was likely to have maintenance work done before too long everything was removed before calling it a day. What remained of her tail section wrapped securely in a moving blanket.
The wrapped surfaces made their way to my home, tucked safely into my office. Which followed closely by the restorer and Rosie bringing down my Christmas tree and putting up before I could even get down the stairs with my ornaments!
A closer look into the books as to when the casting was replaced will happen in short order, the restorer thought it was sometime around the light reading of the AD regarding the tail in 2002 but will confirm.
Also, the search began for a casting, preferably new. If they were not available there are other options to look at such as bushing the existing casting, the use of close tolerance bolts or fabrication of a new casting. These will require more resources if necessary.
The stabilators will be gone over closely before reattaching.
The ruddervators are in good condition – thank goodness as new ones are not available.
As the holiday season is upon us, the next workday will not take place after the New Year.
Corrosion protection as well as properly torquing upon reinstallation are both being discussed. There’s more than a bit to process, but in a good way!
While writing this, I’ve been reviewing the shop manual and confirming recollections with both the restorer and Rosie. This feels more fleshed out than previous pieces because of both of those points. That I can understand what is written in the manuals is thanks to both my past work experience and confirmation from others who know more than I do. That this journey is falling together the way this appears to be makes me wonder if my sister’s tail is the catalyst for the next phase of my life.