Horizontal stabilizer assembly for an aircraft

An horizontal stabilizer assembly, comprising:

• a stabilizer connector assembly having a center multi-spar box;
• a first base rib assembly secured to a first side of the center multi-spar box, the first base rib assembly including a pair of aligned front lateral lugs positioned along a front of the first base rib assembly, a pair of aligned rear lateral lugs positioned along a rear of the first base rib assembly, and at least one pair of opposing middle longitudinal lugs disposed along a top of the first base rib assembly and a bottom of the first base rib assembly and between the front lateral lugs and the rear lateral lugs;
• a second base rib assembly secured to a second side of the center multi-spar box, the second base rib assembly including a pair of aligned front lateral lugs positioned along a front of the second base rib assembly, a pair of aligned rear lateral lugs positioned along a rear of the second base rib assembly, at least one pair of opposing middle longitudinal lugs disposed along a top of the second base rib assembly and a bottom of the second base rib assembly and between the front lateral lugs and the rear lateral lugs;
• a first horizontal stabilizer having a first multi-spar box;
• a third base rib assembly secured to the first multi-spar box, the third base rib assembly including a front lateral lug positioned along a front of the third base rib assembly, a rear lateral lug positioned along a rear of the third base rib assembly, at least one pair of opposing middle longitudinal lugs disposed along a top of the third base rib assembly and a bottom of the third base rib assembly and between the front lateral lug and the rear lateral lug;
• a second horizontal stabilizer having a second multi-spar box;
• a fourth base rib assembly including a front lateral lug positioned along a front of the fourth base rib assembly, a rear lateral lug positioned along a rear of the fourth base rib assembly, at least one pair of opposing middle longitudinal lugs disposed along a top of the fourth base rib assembly and a bottom of the fourth base rib assembly and between the front lateral lug and the rear lateral lug;
• and
• a plurality of retaining members inserted through mounting holes in corresponding lugs in the first and third base ribs and through mounting holes in corresponding lugs of the second and fourth base ribs to secure the first horizontal stabilizer and the second horizontal stabilizer to the stabilizer connector assembly.

A method of assembling a horizontal stabilizer assembly for an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

• assembling first and second base rib assemblies, each of the first and second base rib assemblies including a plurality of lugs;
• positioning the first base rib assembly adjacent a first side of a center multi-spar box of a stabilizer connector assembly and the second base rib assembly adjacent a second side of the center multi-spar box, opposite the first side;
• positioning a plurality of side plates corresponding to the plurality of lugs of the first and second base rib assemblies adjacent the center multi-spar box and securing the plurality of side plates to the center multi-spar box and the first base rib assembly, the plurality of side plates having at least one longitudinal lug aligned with and spaced apart from one of the plurality of lugs of the first and second base rib assemblies;
• assembling third and fourth base rib assemblies, each of the third and fourth base rib assemblies including a plurality of lugs;
• positioning the third base rib assembly adjacent a first multi-spar box of a first horizontal stabilizer and securing the third base rib assembly to the first multi-spar box and positioning the fourth base rib assembly adjacent a second multi-spar box of a second horizontal stabilizer and securing the fourth base rib assembly to the second multi-spar box;
• positioning the first horizontal stabilizer adjacent the first side of the center multi-spar box and the second horizontal stabilizer adjacent the second side of the center multi-spar box;
• and
• inserting retaining members through mounting holes in corresponding lugs in the first and third base rib assemblies and through mounting holes in corresponding lugs of the second and fourth base rib assemblies to secure the first horizontal stabilizer and the second horizontal stabilizer to the stabilizer connector assembly.