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Canopy air leak

ALagonia

Well Known Member
I have a 9 with a slider canopy. We have an air leak coming from the rear of the canopy. Nice to have during the warm months of summer but during the winter my wife flies with a scarf to keep the cold air off her neck.
My airplane does not have the canopy slider seal, yet, just ordered one today. I’m told it attaches to the front slide with fishing line? Sounds kind of hokey.
Today before flying with the hangar lights off I placed a lantern inside the cockpit and from the rear I could see some light from the where the canopy slide seal should go and small areas approximately 3” on either side of the canopy slide.
Have others had this as well? What solutions have been used successfully? And do people actually use fishing line to attach the canopy slide seal? If so what Pound test line?
I’m thinking installing the canopy slide seal and a small piece of the soft side of Velcro on both sides of the canopy rail attached to the bottom of the aft canopy skirt should fix the problem.
Thoughts and suggestions please.
 
I had the slider piece you mentioned installed for about a year. The fishing line must have broke and that piece is long gone. Didn’t seem to make much difference but worth a try. I find more air coming in the rear baggage wall. Seal the corrugated areas on the sides. I started chasing cold air after my condition inspection was done so that is on my list to do.

The best thing I did was seal the sides of the slider. Did that by placing some half round weather stripping on the inside of the canopy slider, just above where it meets the fuse, behind the slider rail. That blocked the outgoing air and i feel minimal air coming in from the baggage area anymore.

To get the perfect location without interfering with the slider, I removed 1 rail at a time. Closed the canopy with a spacer under the wheel and placed the weather stripping. HUGE difference. My canopy fits tight, but flexed out slightly in flight. The weather stripping gets pushed down to seal tighter with air pressure.
 
I had the slider piece you mentioned installed for about a year. The fishing line must have broke and that piece is long gone. Didn’t seem to make much difference but worth a try. I find more air coming in the rear baggage wall. Seal the corrugated areas on the sides. I started chasing cold air after my condition inspection was done so that is on my list to do.

The best thing I did was seal the sides of the slider. Did that by placing some half round weather stripping on the inside of the canopy slider, just above where it meets the fuse, behind the slider rail. That blocked the outgoing air and i feel minimal air coming in from the baggage area anymore.

To get the perfect location without interfering with the slider, I removed 1 rail at a time. Closed the canopy with a spacer under the wheel and placed the weather stripping. HUGE difference. My canopy fits tight, but flexed out slightly in flight. The weather stripping gets pushed down to seal tighter with air pressure.
Would it be possible for you to send a photo of what you’re describing when you have a chance. My email is lagoniaa at g mail dot com.
Thanks
 
Yeah. After you see the pics it will seem obvious but the description is lacking. I wont be at the hangar for about 2 more weeks. Will get those to you then.
 
I had quite a breeze from the rear of my slider -9A as well. I use varying thicknesses of self adhesive felt I got from McMaster Carr until I found the right one. Too thick or too far and you end up actually creating a space. A little experimentation and you'll get it nicely sealed. No breeze or rain.

David
 
I had quite a breeze from the rear of my slider -9A as well. I use varying thicknesses of self adhesive felt I got from McMaster Carr until I found the right one. Too thick or too far and you end up actually creating a space. A little experimentation and you'll get it nicely sealed. No breeze or rain.

David
Do,you,happen to remember the PN for the product(s) you purchased from McMaster?
Thanks
 
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