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[PhilStubbs]

This isn't that exciting, but I'm so bored at work, taking the pics and writing this helps pass the time.

For the ones that don't know. Aircraft control surfaces have to be balanced. This guy wanted a little more weight on his.

This is for Mike Goulian. Former RedBull Air Race pilot and currently does air shows.



This is his elevator.



They stuck wheel weights on it for testing.



Here I transferred the location to the inside where they will be hidden.




Used a 90° diegrinder with a carbide bit to make this pocket. The structure is wood with carbon wrapping it. The holes were already in the wood for weight reasons





Here are the wheel weights being bonded into the holes. For minor things we use West System epoxy resin and something like this we use a filler they have for bonding metal to composite.



Here I just finished filling the open spaces with more of the same putty. Trying to avoid the need for body filler

 

A little heat to speed the process up so I could do the other side. The pics are a mix of the 2 sides. The dark red putty has fast hardener and the lighter color has slow hardener. I used fast on the first side so I could do both sides in one day. This is a rush job.



I set it on end to make sure the weights stayed buried and the putty didn't sag. That's why I couldn't do both sides at the same time.



This is the next day, sanded smooth and no need for body filler



Brushed a little high build primer on it and sanded it smooth



Sprayed silver



Untaped and all done.

[Joseph Davis]

This is what you do to afford a life of flip cup?

[PhilStubbs]

Pretty much. That is a standard daily project for me. We do lots of control surface balancing. I spend a lot of time wetsanding and buffing the trailing edges to lighten them up, to fit the proper range.

[Minor Threat]

How hard is this field to get in to? Is it worth while? There are lots of little airports around where I live, I figure the market around here must be decent.

[PhilStubbs]

It's not that difficult. You can do it unlicensed, put in 3 years then take a test to get your A&P(Airframe & Powerplant) certification. Another 3 years and you can be an IA(Inspector of Aircraft). A&P let's you sign off any repairs and maintenance except and annual inspection. An IA has to sign off annual inspections. It's not bad work. I started in the paint/composite department. Then did repair and maintenance on Cirrus and a few other brands. After that I did new assembly of Extra 300's for a while before getting back into the paint/composite department. It's fairly clean, nothing is too physically strenuous and you get some fun fabrication with sheet metal work. The money isn't good though. If you are making $25-30k then it would be worth looking into. Working unlicensed you will start out around $23-25k. Getting a license will bump that some. We have 3 IA's and the middle one is in the $50k range, maybe just under that.

With that said, I hate it and I'm always forming a plan to get out. Most of my issue is directed right at the company though and not airplanes. I was 21 when I started with this company and I'm 31 now, I still get treated like I'm 21 and new by the owner. I had a couple years experience already on day 1. I'm not a loose cannon kind of guy, but I'm about to lose it on the owner of the company. Just sucks this town has no real work other than tourist and retail shit. If there were options I'd be gone.

[mandrel-bends]

Looking good. How do you balance the surface? Is there a specific machine that does it?

[PhilStubbs]

We have stands that mount to the hinge points, then use a scale on the trailing edge to measure the weight at the farthest point away from the hinge. The weight and length are put into an equation from the factory to come up with a torque number. All add a pic of that next time we balance one