Sling Pilots Forum

Make sure you double check which rivets to use! The Empennage kit uses some terms interchangeably- eg: 997/998/999:
997 - RIV 142 (3.2mm) on HS, RD
998 - RIV 153 (4mm) on HS, RD

But :
997 - RIV 454 (4mm) on EL and RIV 242 on VS!
998 - RIV 164 (4.8mm) on EL and RIV 143 on VS!

Elevator Counter Weights.

From another Builder....

From TAF.

This information is missing in our build manual and it will be available in the new TSI empennage manual that we will release this year.

We normally leave the last 3 rivets on either side of the balance weight arm unriveted. We then install the bolts and the rivets afterwards.

This provides enough free space to fit the balance weights properly.

The bolts are short but you should not install them with washers. This will give you about 1.5 threads sticking out from the lock nut.

The bolts & nuts must also be torqued to the correct value as specified in the introduction document.

Not riveting the 3 mentioned rivets made no difference on the difficulty getting the weights in place. I'm inclined to mount the weights and then insert the arm into structure

I was trying to insert the image here but since I'm dumber than dirt......

huzilulu wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:15 pm Make sure you double check which rivets to use! The Empennage kit uses some terms interchangeably- eg: 997/998/999:
997 - RIV 142 (3.2mm) on HS, RD
998 - RIV 153 (4mm) on HS, RD

But :
997 - RIV 454 (4mm) on EL and RIV 242 on VS!
998 - RIV 164 (4.8mm) on EL and RIV 143 on VS!

I realized the same thing... now I sharpie the HW number next to (99x) symbol and on the places they go.

Vertical Stabilizer - Page E 3.3 - Dated 2018/11/14.

Some builders will receive part 14 with 6 holes punched to M3 size and 5 holes to 3.2 mm. As shown in the diagram there should be 7 rivnuts installed which means drilling/reaming all 6 M3 holes and one of the 3.2mm holes to M4 size for the larger rivnuts. The same is true for the two M3 sized holes on part 9.

Also, some builders will receive parts 11 and 12 where the side holes do not align well enough with the channel holes. The build center says it is OK to drill out the holes to rivet if necessary.

Flap manual - ver 5 states to dimple/countersink the Flap skin - not needed (note is an error)
Ailerons - rivet #997 should be 2.4 x 6mm stainless steel rivets, not 3.2mm

For the TSi Wing assembly instructions Dated 1-7-2020 on Dropbox, and Page dated 2019/11/20 attributed to Tebogo T (with a blank page number) which I will label W 10.1 - Description: TSi flap Assembly - Right.

There is an instruction below the parts list which states: "Note: Dimple and countersunk rivets on the flap skin FL-SKN-001-R-F-3 where they need to be dimpled to 3.3 by using the 3.2 x 10 mm"

TAF says to ignore this instruction.

On the rear spar of the Vertical Stabilizer, there are a series of 7 Rivnuts that get attached to the doubler plate, as well as two attached to the Angle bracket.
there is spacing between the double and the angle bracket for the 7 rivnuts for uniform load, but I had to enlarge the holes in the main rear spar for the bottom two rivnuts to sit flush or else they would push out the rear spar and may creates stress leading to metal fatigue.


You can see in the Finishing Kit instructions that those bottom 2 rivnut heads are visible that support my reading of the situation.


Here's pictures of my completed VS to show:

PhilipRueker wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 8:59 am

You can see in the Finishing Kit instructions that those bottom 2 rivnut heads are visible that support my reading of the situation.

So it looks you left the 4 upper Rivnuts alone? your solution looks great.

MTJ wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 4:58 pm

PhilipRueker wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 8:59 am You can see in the Finishing Kit instructions that those bottom 2 rivnut heads are visible that support my reading of the situation.

So it looks you left the 4 upper Rivnuts alone? your solution looks great.

Yes, just those 2 bottom ones were pushing on the spar, the ones above sit between the angle and the doubler and are fine.

Parking Brake valve:

The 1/8 NPT 90 degree fitting will not fit into the valve because it is 1/8 BSP. Here is what TAF says

The thread on the fittings is 1/8” NPT and inside the valve is 1/8” BSP – the 2 threads are almost the same but don’t quite fit. What we do is get a 1/8” BSP die nut and clean the thread of the fittings. Apologies – it should be in the manual.