Dec 05, 2023     Finishing up the canopy - (7 hours)       Category: Canopy

Attached the canopy to the canopy structure, and installed the hydraulic shock to the roll hoop and canopy. Installed the outside latch, and trimmed the fiberglass to spec. Removed canopy, and trimmed the fiberglass a little more as there was an interference when the canopy was up. Re-installed.

  Sep 10, 2023     Finished the bonding and bolting of the canopy to skirt. - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

I let the Bubble and Canopy skirt sit for a week + to be sure the bonding material had set. Installed the screws as per factory for a redundant bonding system.

  Sep 01, 2023     Assembled canopy to the skirt - (4 hours)       Category: Canopy

Prepped the canopy and clecoed the bubble to the skirt, sanded the skirt and the edge of the bubble to be bonded together. Placed the canopy on the fuselage to check fit, adjusted the clecos until I had no gaps between the skirt and the fuselage. Taped the edges so that the bonding agent would only be in the seam between the bubble, and the skirt. Bonded the bubble... what a mess! This is not fun! Took 4 hours just to glue the two together, pull the tape and clean up the excess. Now it has to sit for 3 days to cure.

  Aug 18, 2023     Trimming Canopy Bubble - (6 hours)       Category: Canopy

Placed the bubble into the canopy skirt. marked it for trimming, and removed it to cut. Taped up the edge of the bubble 3/4" for the cut. Placed the bubble back into the skirt to check the alignment before the cut. Used my 4" grinder with a 1/16" cut off wheel to cut the bubble. Sanded the edge to the tape line and replaced the bubble. Clecoed the bubble to the canopy skirt. Will finish it when the epoxy gets here.

  Aug 16, 2023     Built structure for Canopy bubble - (3 hours)       Category: Canopy

Built form to install the bubble top canopy. Screwed the canopy to the structure in preparation to mount the bubble.

  Aug 12, 2023     Frame for the canopy - (12 hours)       Category: Canopy

Gathered the parts for the canopy system. Measured, drilled and assembled the framework to hold the bubble. Installed the hinges to the frame with much trouble. When they were welded to the fuselage they warped and made it very difficult to operate. This item took a lot more time than I expected, as there is a lot of fabrication here. I'm doing the emergency canopy deployment system. (not that I intend to jump out of a perfectly good airplane).