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  #21  
Old 05-01-2015, 01:32 PM
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ChiefPilot ChiefPilot is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vfrazier View Post
The slider's biggest disadvantages to me are:
  1. more complicated to build
  2. a bit heavier due to the extra frame between the front and back halves
  3. reduced visibility due to the extra frame mentioned above
  4. more difficult to seal (in my opinion)
  5. more expensive

The sliders do look nice, like a fighter jet.... but you'll notice that the newest jets all have tip ups now!

OTOH, I have a slider on the F1 Rocket and on the RV-6 in my shop. Sigh....
Recent fighter jets have tip ups - except they're hinged at the back and not the front. The F-35 isn't a real fighter jet, BTW :-)

I'd quantify the visibility thing - tippers have better forward visibility, but much worse rearward visibility. Also, I don't think I've ever heard of a slider leaking onto avionics, so sealing would seem to favor the slider.
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  #22  
Old 05-01-2015, 03:17 PM
gasman gasman is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiefPilot View Post
Recent fighter jets have tip ups - except they're hinged at the back and not the front. The F-35 isn't a real fighter jet, BTW :-)

I'd quantify the visibility thing - tippers have better forward visibility, but much worse rearward visibility. Also, I don't think I've ever heard of a slider leaking onto avionics, so sealing would seem to favor the slider.
Most aircraft have "O" rear visibility. It's not an issue. But the things that can be hidden by that roll bar IS a big deal. I would never have a slider for that reason.

Sealing a tip has proven to be well within the capabilities of a kit builder....... If it leaks, it's because the builder did not seal it well enough.
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  #23  
Old 05-01-2015, 06:20 PM
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curtis curtis is offline
 
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I have over 500 hours in my slider and have never had one time where I felt the rollbar hid any aircraft or objects and put me into an unsafe condition. It takes up very little real estate and even if you tried you couldn't hold you head still enough to blank out any one thing for length of time. I have done flights in a half mile trail to up close formation and once again have never had a moment where the roll bar was in the way.

I do not have an issue with the tipup canopy and have flown many hours in both 6's and 7's that have tipup canopies and they are ok, but my preference is slider and if I built another plane it would have the same.

I am always looking for a reason to fly and I'm ready to take anyone flying so they can show me where the rollbar can blank out an object that will cause an unsafe condition that will cause a midair or near miss.

This is just my opinion and not meant to sway anyone to a slider.
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  #24  
Old 05-03-2015, 08:09 PM
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ChiefPilot ChiefPilot is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gasman View Post
Most aircraft have "O" rear visibility. It's not an issue. But the things that can be hidden by that roll bar IS a big deal. I would never have a slider for that reason.

Sealing a tip has proven to be well within the capabilities of a kit builder....... If it leaks, it's because the builder did not seal it well enough.


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  #25  
Old 05-04-2015, 11:26 AM
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vfrazier vfrazier is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiefPilot View Post
Recent fighter jets have tip ups - except they're hinged at the back and not the front.
Don't forget that the RV-3s, RV-4s and many Rockets hinge at the side.
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  #26  
Old 05-04-2015, 11:46 AM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
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Lots of RV-3s are sliders. The plans show both versions.

Dave
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  #27  
Old 05-04-2015, 03:39 PM
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southtarnation southtarnation is offline
 
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...and even the occasional -4. Mines a slider, now.
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  #28  
Old 05-06-2015, 12:16 PM
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ChiefPilot ChiefPilot is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vfrazier View Post
Don't forget that the RV-3s, RV-4s and many Rockets hinge at the side.
Yes, for sure. I think of those more as "tip-overs", similar to the original X-35 canopy configuration.

For visibility, it seems the -3 & -4 are tops.
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  #29  
Old 05-17-2015, 09:04 AM
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curtis curtis is offline
 
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Just out of curiosity this moring while out flying I tested how much the slider rollbar would hide from your vision. My results were very eye opening (couldn't pass this pun up ). I would pick small objects from up close to way out in the distance such as a house to do my testing. I would close one eye and position the object on one side of the roll bar and then I changed eyes while holding my head steady and found that I could see the same object with either eye without moving my head.

From my testing the rollbar does not blank out any objects as long as you have both eyes open. Note: I did do all of this testing while setting in the normal position and looking past all areas of veiw of the rollbar.

I know this won't change opinions on the purist who favor the tipup's, but no one can tell me that my slider rollbar is unsafe and hides objects while flying.
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