Rear Window and Tail Fairing

Today I installed and sealed the rear window.  I used Dow Corning sealant, beige in color.  I think it worked out well.  The sealant is not effected by fuel so it should be a good thing.  I started by cleaning the window and then I put it in place on the airplane.  I used fasteners to attach the window to the roll bar and clecoed the turtle deck and the window together.

After clecoing the window in place I put red electrical tape around the edge of the aluminum.  Then I removed the clecoes and put popsicle sticks in the joint to make room for the sealant.

Next I cut the tip of the sealant tube at and angle and squeezed sealant between the turtle deck and the window.  I then installed screws in all of the holes.  I put sealant on the threads of the screws just below the head and inserted them in the holes.  I then put a washer and a nut on each screw.  I started on the right side and tightened the screws and nuts.  The sealant squeezed between the turtle deck and the window a squeezed out onto the red tape.  I wiped it off and cleaned the turtle deck with MEK.  

After the sealant set for a short time I pulled the red tape and the edge of the turtle deck looks pretty good.  The rear window is now installed and sealed in place.

The next step was to install the tail fairing and make sure the stabilator and the AST arm clear the fairing.  After installing the fairing I discovered it rubs on the right side opening in the stabilator.  Both the top and bottom skins rub the fairing.  I marked the stabilator skins with a marking pen. 

I also noticed the AST arm rubs on the left side of the opening in the fairing.  I removed the fairing and using a sanding drum removed the top and bottom stabilator skin to clear the fairing.  I also used the Vixon file to trim the fiberglass fairing to clear the AST arm.

That part of the build is now complete.