Nov 22, 2022     Finish new latch       Category: Canopy

Took off the gas strut and suddenly the canopy fits! The strut seems to tweak the frame slightly. Finished installing the new latch, recharged the battery (left Master on) and peeled off the "DB" suffix on the tail number as the reservation has expired and someone else has snagged it.

  Nov 06, 2022     Fitting Peter Anson latch       Category: Canopy

Worked on fitting the Australian made canopy latch, and decided I could not live with the mis-match between the fuselage and the canopy. The canopy/frame is slightly too wide. Fix pends.

  Jul 18, 2022     Stop drilling the cracks in the canopy.       Category: Canopy

As previously described, pulling STAINLESS rivets on the Port and Starboard canopy sides in tight holes cracked the canopy all along both sides. I modified a 3/32 or so drill bit per Bingelis "The Sportplane Builder" to a needle like point, and flattened the cutting edges so it scraps rather than carves. I drilled MOST of the cracks, just beyond the tip of the visible crack, IF they had run up far enough to be visible above the aluminum trim. Next I'll fill the holes with clear silicone caulk.

  Jul 04, 2022     Stress cracks       Category: Canopy

It's been over a year since the canopy was finished - it was glued on the frame with Sikaflex, per many RV builders. But the lower trim pieces on either side of the canopy at the upper longerons were riveted on, with STAINLESS rivets, and they have stress cracked pretty badly. I'm not sure whether to leave them, in hopes they've relieved themselves, or stop drill every single one of them. ALUMINUM rivets should have been used in my view, as they take far less force to "pop", preferably in oversize holes. This would lead to less compressive stress, and allow the acrylic to move a little. Threaded fasteners, LOOSELY torqued, with nylocks, would have been another good choice. Keep Loctite away from acrylic, it will craze and crack it.

  Jun 08, 2021     Add End Rivets And A Latch Knob To The Canopy Left Hand Lower Rail - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira and Bill Lawrence added end rivets and a latch knob to the left hand canopy lower rail.

RRY 2023 notes: riveting this lower trim piece in place caused the canopy to crack. If you must rivet this, use soft aluminum poppers with aluminum stems

  Oct 21, 2020     Install Canopy Latch Return Spring - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard and Sara Holmes install canopy latch return spring.

RRY 2023 note: removed later when Peter Anson canopy latch installed.

  Oct 18, 2020     Finish Gluing Canopy to Frame - (5 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira, Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence tape the canopy seal edge lines and Lee applies the seal to complete gluing the canopy to the canopy frame. Remove the edge line tape and close the canopy to let the sealer cure with the canopy in place.

  Oct 14, 2020     Replace Canopy Limit Wire - (1 hour)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes replaced canopy open limit wire with shorter proper wire.

RRY 2023 note: it was to the plans, but the plans are wrong, the fittings they use don't allow the wire to lead fair. I replaced it later with paracord, which has some give.

  Oct 14, 2020     Make Final Canopy Fit Adjustments and Glue to Frame - (8 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Ticheira, Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence make final fit adjustment to canopy and frame and glue canopy to frame.

  Oct 14, 2020     to Secure Right and Left Canopy Frame With Screws and Rivets - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence screw right canopy hinge to fuselage and rivet hinge to right canopy frame. Rivet left canopy frame together with latch.

  Oct 13, 2020     Glue Canopy Right and Left Sides to Canopy Frame - (10 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira, Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence check size of rivet holes for proper size and de-burr all holes. Remove Canopy for cleaning and prepping for primer. Prime Canopy and after drying, install canopy frame back on fuselage and glue right and left sides of canopy to frame.

  Oct 11, 2020     Adjust Spacing Between Canopy Bow and Canopy - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira, Harvard Holmes, Sara Holmes and Bill Lawrence adjust spacing between canopy bows and canopy.

  Oct 11, 2020     Cut Notch in Plexiglass Canopy For Latch Handle. - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes, Bill Lawrence and Lee Teicheira cut notch in plexiglass canopy for latch handle and adjusted latch to slide smoothly.

  Oct 11, 2020     Drill Rivet Holes In Canopy Hinge for Rivets - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

Bill Lawrence drilled holes in canopy hinge for rivets. Drilled #40 holes and clecoed followed by #30 holes and clecoed.

  Oct 07, 2020     Fit Latch for Canopy and Drill Holes for rivets in Lower Canopy Frame and Hinge - (10 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence cut slot in left lower canopy frame for latch handle and drilled holes for rivets in left and right lower canopy frame.

  Oct 06, 2020     Continue Fitting Canopy Front and Rear and Cut Righr Side - (11 hours) Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira, Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence continue sanding and fitting canopy and cut right side. Continue Sanding and fitting after cutting.

  Oct 04, 2020     Continue Fitting Canopy Front and Rear and Cut Left Side - (14 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira, Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence continue to sand and fit the front and rear of the canopy and cut the left side.

  Sep 30, 2020     Cut Rear Edge of Canopy (continued) - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

Video of Lee Teicheira cutting canopy.

  Sep 30, 2020     Cut Rear Edge of Canopy - (14 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira, Harvard Holmes, Bill Lawrence and Johan Verhoek sand recently cut front edge of canopy for better fit. Remark and cut rear edge of canopy. Sand rear edge of canopy to remove rough edges. Check rear edge of canopy for accuracy of rough cut. Attach stiffeners to sides of canopy and let sit in sun to attempt to remove some excess bow.

  Sep 29, 2020     Begin Fitting New Canopy - (14 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira, Harvard Holmes Bill Lawrence and John Koehler fit old canopy to new canopy frame to check for alignment. After confirming that new frame aligns properly, placed new canopy over frame and marked cut lines for front and back. After cutting front of canopy, rechecked front for proper alignment. Will need some additional sanding to fit properly.

  Sep 27, 2020     Continue Canopy Fit Adjustments - (8 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard, Lee, Ryan, John, Sarah and Bill continue to make adjustments to canopy frame.

  Sep 23, 2020     Adjust Canopy Frame Base Tubes Shorter - (6 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes adjusting canopy base tubes shorter to fit canopy for clearance.

  Sep 20, 2020     Canopy Outside Latch Handle - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes fabricating canopy outside latch handle.

RRY Note: Pater Anson latch replaced this.

  Sep 20, 2020     Canopy Latch Return Spring Tabs - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

Ryan Young making tabs for canopy latch return spring.

  Sep 16, 2020     Fitting Canopy Latch To Canopy Frame - (6 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard and Sara Holmes enlarging canopy latch opening and fitting latch.

  Sep 16, 2020     Aligning Canopy Frame Members - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes and Bill Lawrence aligning frame members for R/H lower canopy frame.

  Sep 15, 2020     Canoy Latch Fitment (continued) - (4.5 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard continues to fabricate and fit latch components in preparation for riveting.

  Sep 09, 2020     Aligning Latch Pin Holes Prior to Drilling - (2 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes making pin holes in latch for alignment prior to drilling and riveting in place.

  Sep 09, 2020     Remove Fillet on Canopy Latch - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Using table saw and guide Lee Teicheira and Harvard Holmes cut fillet out off inside corner of canopy latch so that it would slide smoothly on square tube of canopy lower frame. Harvard also dressed rough surface to smooth.

  Sep 08, 2020     Dress Rear Canopy Bow Brace Brackets - (1 hour)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes and Bil Lawrence dressed brackets for rear canopy bow brace.

  Sep 06, 2020     Canopy Frame Fabrication (continued) - (8 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard and Sara fitting, gluing, and riveting canopy frame corners. Lee cutting canopy latch spacer. Harvard fitting and riveting brace for rear canopy bow. Harvard fitting spacer for canopy latch.

  Aug 25, 2020     Fit Canopy Frame and Drill Holes for Rivets (continued) - (8 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes and Frank Kelly continue to fine tune fit of bows and frame for canopy drilling in preparation for rivets.

  Aug 23, 2020     Fit Canopy Rear Bow Brace and Fit Hinge and Latch Hardware - (9 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes and Frank Kelly continue to fit the brace for the rear canopy bow and fit and dress hardware for hinge and latch rails.

  Aug 18, 2020     Fabrication of Canopy Channel Hinge Side and Slots in Longeron for Latch - (10 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes and Frank Kelly fabricating the channel on the hinge side of the canopy to retain it to the hinge.
Frank and Harvard strengthening and fabricating the slots in the L/H longeron for the canopy latch.

  Aug 17, 2020     Canopy Bow Brace - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes fabricating canopy bow brace

  Aug 16, 2020     Fitting Canopy Bows (continued) - (9.8 hours)       Category: Canopy

Harvard Holmes, Frank Kelly, and Lee Teicheira continue to fine tune fit on canopy bows.

  Aug 12, 2020     Canopy Longeron Reinforcement - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Lee Teicheira fabricating the canopy longeron reinforcement with assistance from Harvard Holmes.

  Aug 12, 2020     Harvard Holmes taking on completion of canopy - (12 hours)       Category: Canopy

Measuring, cutting and fitting bows for new canopy by Harvard Holmes and Lee Teicheira.

  Dec 04, 2019     Canopy Latch - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

Remove non-standard canopy latch in preparation for going back to plans latch.