Hi folks - After spending several months learning Solidworks (on-line courses and experience modeling my Chipmunk), I started modeling a new design. I've made very few decisions, so wanted to ensure EVERYTHING could be changed without it blowing up. I modeled all the basic parts as an assembly, and tested as I went along. Lengthen the fuselage: vertical tail slides aft with it. Widen or completely change the shape of an aft fuselage bulkhead: the forward fuselage changes to match, and the canopy and tail fairings all reshape themselves to fit the new fuselage. The wing and stab are mated at the centerline but I can freely slide them vertically or horizontally. Lengthen the span or thickness of the the stabilizer and the elevators adjust to fit. No commitments! Magic!

Later on, after a few iterations of conceptual design and lots of decisions, I'll model the internal structure. All the major parts are saved externally but join at the top level of assembly. My plan is to convert each of the current parts (left wing, rudder, aft fuselage, etc) to an assembly then model each of them down to the level where parts would actually be fabricated.

So far so good. Then I got ambitious and broke the In-Place mates between the stab and elevator, thinking I'd hinge them. Floated the elevator and mated the hinge axes. As soon as I moved it, Bam! They blew up.

Everything back there went red. The elevator was modeled in context, so once you lose the context you're done. Now I wonder: will I have this problem with every part?

When the time comes, is there some sequence I can use to retire in-place mates and break links between parts? Better yet, can I keep the context between parts, but still be able to test their movement? I really want to be able to modify one part and have the change ripple to every other other part it affects, with no explosions!

Thanks! Mark