Posted in Flaps, Wings

Started Left Flap

   Published Date: October 15, 2026  Leave a Comment on Started Left Flap

With the left ER tank curing for a few days before pressure checking, I wanted to start on something that didn’t involve tank sealant.

I’m planning to alternate a fuel tank, then a control surface.

So:

  1. Left ER Tank
  2. Left Flap
  3. RIght ER Tank
  4. Right Flap
  5. Left Main Tank
  6. Left Aileron
  7. Right Main Tank
  8. Right Aileron

In pursuit of that, I got out all the left flap parts and started removing the blue vinyl. The first step is basically to cleco the skeleton to the bottom skin, fabricate a few shims and start matchdrilling.

Left flap parts.

There are some shims required on the aft end of the outboard ribs. Here are some unlabeled shims, ready to be cut and edge-finished.

Where are those aviation snips?

After cutting out those shims, I moved toward the inboard rib reinforcement angles. Here’s one, that needs to be bent to match the inboard flap rib.

It’s bent, perfectly, I promise.

And here’s the start of the second bracket. Marked and drilled for size.

Where is that metal bladed jigsaw?

After I got the two brackets matchdrilled, I lined up the inboard bracket (that I had to bend) and it was PERFECT.

Oh yeah, perfectly bent.

After a few more minutes, I had the flap bottom skin matchdrilled to the flap skeleton. Wait, that’s the top skin.

Top skin matchdrilled to the skeleton.

I did remember to matchdrill the 1/4″ bolt nutplate.

That’s a big nutplate.

Then I deburred the bottom skin and broke out the DRDT-2 and dimpled.

I like this part of each component build. Seems like I’m getting close to riveting.

While I was deburring and dimpling, I cleaned the skeleton, then let it dry and primed it outside.

Apparently I was tired of taking pictures, but the next step was to cleco the skeleton to the two skins and start riveting.

While clecoing the two skins together, I noticed an area that didn’t sit very well together. Can you tell what I forgot to do?

One of these holes is not like the other…

After disassembling to re-dimple that hole. (not re-dimple. Dimple for the first time)…I got the two skins riveted together and got the internal ribs clecoed to the skins.

This is the bottom of the left flap.

And, with a few minutes of energy left, I got the internal ribs riveted to the top left flap skin.

This is pretty, if I do say so myself.

I didn’t intend on doing this much work on the flap today, but I guess I was excited to be doing something not involving tank sealant.

4.0 hours and 91 rivets. Maybe I’ll finish it tomorrow?

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Author: Andrew

I'm too lazy to fill this out. If you are actually reading this, send me a message, and I'll spend some effort on it.

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