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keeping my seats cool in the summer sun

An alternative, if you live near a Goodwill store or someplace similar, is a curtain panel or large beach blanket for $2.00. I bought a nice white one last year and it has worked well for this exact purpose. It's actually nicer than the curtains I have in the master bedroom!

Of course, having Amazon drop one on your doorstep is darn handy and may be cheaper when you consider the gas to drive to the store.

Regards,
Rob
 
Seems more logical to me to just use a lightweight canopy cover (Van's sells one) and protect the whole cockpit from the sun, or rain, or prying eyes. It only takes a couple minutes to put it on.

i-JhBg2sZ-L.jpg
 
That is so cool. I've tried to do exactly what you've done at both Sun n Fun, and Oshkosh. They were the type one puts in their car window in the summer heat. Lousy fit, wanted to pop off, or fall down inside, but I more or less got it to work. Regarding putting the big canvas cover over your whole cockpit, that's a great idea----until you've got a windy day. Then its impossible. More than once, I had to get another RVer to help hold one side down while I fumbled with the other side.:(:D:(
 
I have the full outer cover Tony is talking about and use it when leaving the plane for extended time, over night, etc. This one is the same as the ones used for auto windshields just much larger designed for motor homes.
For the -12 it takes only seconds to put in place and remove, great for those airport lunch flights. It is super light weight so won't cut into that "baggage allotment".
 
I like the idea of covering the cockpit under the canopy. Might avoid the target of opportunity thieves if they don?t see what?s in the cockpit. I also put a lock on my canopy. That?s one item I never figured out why Van?s didn?t include in the design.
 
I like the idea of covering the cockpit under the canopy. Might avoid the target of opportunity thieves if they don?t see what?s in the cockpit. I also put a lock on my canopy. That?s one item I never figured out why Van?s didn?t include in the design.

I would rather have radios stolen than the canopy broken to get in. Worse is broken canopy and stolen radios. Hopefully neither.
 
seems like it would be good thing to carry on a hot summer day. I have a Canopy cover but its too much to take out and cover the canopy, snap it in place when I'm just visiting a friend at a nearby grass strip, or at a lunch fly-in during the summer time. It's one of those situations where you can pretty much see your airplane almost the entire time you are there, or it's a private strip and you don't have to worry about sticky fingers, so you leave canopy open and uncovered but the hot summer Sun melts aways your headsets, seats and avionics :mad::mad::D --- you visit for 30 minutes, get in and BAM :eek: OUCH that's Hot. This may be the perfect solution for those little trips without having to worry about using the big cover.

Thanks
 
Canopy cover

Unless the wind is blowing. I think I?ve got the best technique for that figured out, but it still looks like a Three Stooges sketch sometimes.

Seems more logical to me to just use a lightweight canopy cover (Van's sells one) and protect the whole cockpit from the sun, or rain, or prying eyes. It only takes a couple minutes to put it on.

i-JhBg2sZ-L.jpg
 
I have a canopy lock, and a full exterior cover that will cost me $300.00 + to replace when it ages, plus it is involved to use.
My full canopy cover stays in the hangar unless I am going on a long trip, why carry the weight and have it out in the sun when it's not necessary.
This simple $8.00 shield does the job of keeping it cool.

Oh, yeah, I'm not sure what part of the country has issues with people breaking into airplanes but I hangar in So California, KREI, enough said.
 
Good point on the broken canopy. I guess the old adage is true: locks only keep honest people honest! I used to leave my convertible unlocked when I had one so thieves wouldn?t slit the roof to get in.
 
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