Gents,

A little note how I calculate the wing and stab incidences.

The calculating example is of the Orion with a positive angle of the stab and the wing, so both angles are positive.
I think Ed was clever. On every plane he did use we see the “0” reference line somewhere on the fuselage. Picture 1.
This is a great profit because during test flying he did change the incidences of both, wing AND stab. The ecalage you can calculate simple. See picture 2

My “0” reference on the Orion is the bottom of the red dash from nose to tail (picture 3).

The Taurusses also have a reference line beneath the stab, the bottom line of the black painting beneath the root of the stab on the fuselage (picture 4). When Ed want to change the incidence of the stab I think he did make a tape along that reference line long enough and measure the old incidence with a caliper. After changing the incidence we only have to “repaint” the black part of the tail and some white.

Maybe your question is: “Why changing the incidence of the stab?” The reason is the washout of the wing! But also he did try different surfaces of the stab I think, so you need a very good reference to mount a new stab on the fuselage.

Designing the plane Ed did count with everything.

The Wester Taurus has a 0 degrees incidence angle of the stab in the beginning.
Test flying will first only include changing the saddle of the wing to adjust the right incidence of the wing in combination with the position of the CG.
Next step will be taking pictures and see if the fuse has the right ATTITUDE during flight, I think that will be oké. If not I put a saw in the tail, no problem. This all I do before the last crate picture is taken.

Important is to understand that only the difference between TE and LE and the chord of both wing and stab you have to know. The reference also can be the bench but that is not easy to take along to the airfield, again Ed did know it all (I THINK).

If you use a 0 reference line take a look if it’s really straight.

Cees