The horizontal stabilator is the horizontal control surface at the back of the airplane. Unlike a separate fixed horizontal stabilizer and a moveable pair of elevators, the RV-12 employes a “stabilator” which is a combination. The whole assembly moves.

I started on the spar box, the structural spine. My RV-12 empennage kit is down to one backordered part, however. It’s a counterbalance arm that fits into this assembly. I’m at the point where it’s needed. Theoretically I could just work around it (since it’s not permanently attached at this point), but I don’t want to rivet myself into a corner trying to figure out what tasks won’t be blocked and then realize there was a subtle dependency requiring some disassembly. Unlikely, but it gives me an excuse to move onto the tailcone which will the most fun part of this empennage kit!

Apr 11 & 12, 2026: Hours ~9.5