How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

I managed to crash my kit-built four star 60 (Sig Tig) and am finally getting around to trying to fix it. Basically I got caught by a crosswind gust on final approach when it was really too windy to be flying and had my wings flipped from horizontal to vertical. The plane went in knife-edge and though the wing is fine the torque snapped the tail right at one of the formers. I've cleaned off the monokote and removed the control rods from the guides, and though its a fairly clean break I'm a little lost as to how to proceed.

Before:
http://lh4.google.com/jacobezzell/Rv...0/IMG_2491.JPG

After:
http://lh6.google.com/jacobezzell/Rz...0/IMG_2551.JPG

Tail:
http://lh4.google.com/jacobezzell/Rz...0/IMG_2555.JPG

Holding the bits together:
http://lh4.google.com/jacobezzell/Rz...0/IMG_2552.JPG

So I can think of two ways to do this. One is to put a doubler on the outside across the break, like this:

http://lh5.google.com/jacobezzell/Rz...0/IMG_2554.JPG

Big downside to this is that the tail is going to look like it has an aneurysm, I'm not really into that. But it would be strong...

The other would be to get some tristock and try to fit it into the corners on the inside, to give the two halves something to fix to, something like this (just using some scrap here):
http://lh5.google.com/jacobezzell/Rz...0/IMG_2553.JPG

With that though, am I going to have enough gluing surface to end up with a strong glue joint? Its also going to be a huge pain because none of the angles in the tail are truly square, I'll have to do some precision sanding, and I know its not going to end up real precise.

Last idea I can't really mock up, but it would be to put doublers on the inside, but that would require carving holes in the former, and I'm worried that would weaken the structure too much. Any suggestions?

RE: How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

I'd use the tri-stock on the inside, and then use fiberglass on the outside. Get the lightest cloth you can find, use 30 minute epoxy, and put on two layers of cloth. The final result will probably be almost completely unnoticable unless you look really close, and will be plenty strong.

Brad

RE: How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

That looks like an easy fix. Glue together the front and back and like what said above, put tri stock on the inside. I love to help you on the rebuild, but I'm in Cali....

RE: How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

hey. im in colorado and fly at your flying field. do you know zach? i am zach lol. i you have been out there recently you have probally seen me with my dazzler or harrier 90. i also have a poster at the field for my ultimate. let me know if you need any help fixing the 4*. i have gotten pretty good at fixing planes over the years. when are you going back out to the field? ill be out there tomarrow with my goldberg matrix and my new student rich with his trainer.

RE: How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

Nope, sorry zach. :) I met "Doc." Might have seen you but havn't learned too many people's names. I built the kit so I'm sure I can fix it, just wasn't sure on the right approach for the fix, but thanks for the offer.

RE: How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

yea. doc is a great guy! well. hope to see you out at the field agian! post up when you head out agian and ill meet you out there. you fly 3d at all?

RE: How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

not really, really still a beginner-intermediate. shoot me your email address and I'll let you know when tigger is set to fly again.

RE: How Best To Fix This Tail (4*60)
 

my email is [email protected]
i am an instructer aswell if you need any help to prevent hurting tigger agian. lol
did you ever finish the sig hg bipe?