RV-12 Canopy Incident

[N223JH]

...I hope this will suffice. Bought a $5 box of bungees from Aviation Dept at Home Depot, selected one which when wrapped around itself on the seatback crossbrace hooked into canopy handle with moderate tension.
Tiewrapped it to crossbrace. Dern thing lays right up against passenger seat back when not in use and is kind of hard to miss, being bright orange.
Added "canopy bungee" to pre-start checklist.

This time when the fix-kit comes from Vans, un-doing my fix will only take about 30 seconds.

That video is scary.


Jim
RV-12 #264
flying 400+ hours

[Top Cat]

Originally Posted by N223JH

...I hope this will suffice. Bought a $5 box of bungees from Aviation Dept at Home Depot, selected one which when wrapped around itself on the seatback crossbrace hooked into canopy handle with moderate tension.
Tiewrapped it to crossbrace. Dern thing lays right up against passenger seat back when not in use and is kind of hard to miss, being bright orange.
Added "canopy bungee" to pre-start checklist.

This time when the fix-kit comes from Vans, un-doing my fix will only take about 30 seconds.

That video is scary.


Jim
RV-12 #264
flying 400+ hours

Good idea, and easy/economical. I had thought the same thing about using a bungee.

I have a personal rule to always close and lock the canopy at the run-up area and I'm going to use the bungee if I open the canopy a crack whilst taxiing on a hot day.

[Mich48041]

Sitting in the plane today, I came up with this idea to keep the canopy from opening. Have not actually made it yet. Bend an 1/8" x 1" aluminum bar and fasten one end of it to the forward side of the roll bar so that the other end extends 1" past center. When the canopy is in the ventilation position, the aluminum bar will be inside of the handle loop, preventing the canopy from opening further. There is no extra step for the pilot to forget. Vinyl caps are available to fit the bar.

[DaleB]

Originally Posted by Mich48041

Sitting in the plane today, I came up with this idea to keep the canopy from opening. Have not actually made it yet. Bend an 1/8" x 1" aluminum bar and fasten one end of it to the forward side of the roll bar so that the other end extends 1" past center. When the canopy is in the ventilation position, the aluminum bar will be inside of the handle loop, preventing the canopy from opening further. There is no extra step for the pilot to forget.

Nice. If that works it could be the most elegant solution yet. Can't wait to get to the hangar and have a look to see how these ideas look "in person".

[scottmillhouse]

This is solution 101 based upon Mich48041's concept. I found that his idea needed modified since the socket for the handle in the canopy front would hit his angle. Solution is to curve the bracket to miss the socket and provide a "catch pocket" for the handle. I just drilled out the top three rivets left of the rollbar seam and used 3, 4-6 pulled rivets for a first install. If satisfied I may replace with larger structural rivets or thread for bolts. I just modified a curtain rod support bracket for this. Seems to work well. Hopefully this pictures will explain it all.

[PilotBrent]

Scott, your speed and creativity in fabricating this is amazing. Looks like a reasonable solution.

[DaveWelch]

FYI all,
Received this email from the mothership this afternoon...I don't see this or the updates mentioned on the support page yet. I'm sure it will follow soon.

TO ALL RV-12 BUILDERS AT FINISH KIT STAGE OR BEYOND

Van's Aircraft has revised the design of the RV-12 canopy installation for increased durability using all steel gas struts.
If desired, order "12 Canopy Gas Strut Kit" and install it on your airplane using the latest revision of RV-12 Section 34: Canopy Installation, available from the Van's Aircraft website.
This is not a mandatory change – old parts may continue to be used.


Van's Aircraft has updated the RV-12 Plans Pages with minor changes to the following sections:

SECTION 34 PAGES 01, 02, 03 and 15.

Download the latest version of these pages from the Van's Aircraft website and note the changes documented for each individual page if you choose to convert to the upgraded struts.


Be advised that Plans page updates have been posted to our website. Please visit www.vansaircraft.com, click on Support, then Service Information and Revisions or go directly to the revisions section using this link:

http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/service-rv12.htm


Van's Aircraft, Inc.
14401 Keil Rd NE
Aurora, Oregon 97002
503.678.6545

[DaveWelch]

I should add that I plan to add a restraint based on one or more of the excellent designs discussed above. No reason to "test" the new struts unnecessarily!

[RFSchaller]

Just copied the kit name and pasted it on the mothership website order search with no bueno. Come on guys, get it together!

I plan on coming up with my own solution to back up the mothership change.

[deene]

Ordered my kit yesterday and plan to add a backup bracket...