My empennage kit arrived yesterday, and this morning I woke up bright an early to begin the unboxing experience.

This a just a small fraction of the parts that are in the kit, but I went through the packing list and marked each item with a check as I found it and inventoried it.

Here’s all the parts on the shelves sorted by the control surfaces, and the plans laid out on the workbench. I spent a good hour reading the first section for the emp and going over the drawings to become more familiar with them.

I then began the rear spar assembly, after rounding the rear spar reinforcing bars and finishing the edges I clecoed the two spar halves to the bars and then match drilled the holes to #30.

Once the holes were drilled out, I match drilled the rear spar hinge brackets to the spar also to #30. The powder coating really makes the holes small for the clecos.

 Then I match drilled the center bearing mounts to the center bearing and match drilled it to the rear spar. This will all be removed, primed and then riveted together.

All in all, I think it was a good and productive first day of my RV-7 project!