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Cee Bailey Windscreen

scorwin

Active Member
Ordered the windscreen and windows. Put the windscreen on, as per the instructions (10 inches from firewall) and it looks like I still have to cut 3/8-1/4 inch of windscreen at the top.

Has anyone else had to do this? Everything else I read says "it just fits" and I don't want to start cutting if its wrong

Edit: Called Vans. They couldn't tell me anything about Cee Bailey's fit, but the 10 inch mark really doesn't matter. If its moved forward, then the flange and windscreen work better, although there are gaps between the windshield and flange of the cabin top. I imagine those would get filled in.

Tried the search and couldn't find anything, so leaving this here for others
 
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Cee Baileys

I just installed all my Cee Bailey windows about a month ago and none of them needed to be sanded. They fit exactly the way they came.
 
and...

My Cee Bailey windows have been fitted and needed very little adjustment. I have not done the windscreen yet, other than to set it in place. Seem to fit fine.
 
I had to do a slight amount of trimming off of the bottom flanges of the windscreen where they touched the fuselage, but almost nothing beyond that.
 
Cee Baileys windscreen

Long story short, I was the prototype for the windscreen only- I did not help with the sides- hear they DO require very slight adjusting. I worked closely with Desser/ Cee Baileys to make the wind screen fit "as-is" they did numerous revisions to make it fit with minor adjustments but I will tell you that although the windscreen fits perfect, we decided to leave 1/8 extra up top to allow the builder to fine tune for any change in color canopy Vans had (green and pink at the time) and more specifically allow the builder to make it perfectly fit for any builder tweaks. BUT it should fit "as-is". if it is not you may not be installing it correctly.
It was me and it does fit and I just put the windscreen on the plane to make it fit so that is what i would do again- aka dont worry too much about the 10 inches- install the windscreen to make it fit up top and than see where the bottom ends up. If mine is more than 10, that fine, it fits perfectly the way its installed today.
1/4 is much more than the allowance we put in so something isnt right.

Here is the original post from Cee Bailey- http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=70003&highlight=cee+baileys
 
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A question:

The Cee Bailey site lists the RV-10 windows as being .250" thick. I wondered about this and went into the shop to take a few measurements on the canopy top.

The material thickness around the rear windows and door windows is .29" - .31" (Much thicker around the windshield joggle). The depth of the window joggles averages about .21" for the windshield, .19" for the door window, and just .11" for the rear windows (pink version, circa 2010).

I'm scratching my head, here. If I deepen the joggle by grinding away the lip, I will reduce material thickness to almost nothing around the rear windows. If I install .25" thick transparencies without grinding the edges of the windows thinner or hogging out the joggles deeper, the plexi will sit proud of the surface by .04" - .14" :(

I can fair these window cutouts to meet the edges of the plexi, but will have to buy another pound of micro and gallon of West Systems to do so. Wondering why the top comes out of the mold too thin in these areas? Kind of confused and would appreciate someone setting me straight.
 
Only the windshield is .25". You won't need to do any grinding on the joggle. In fact, you'll most likely need to use some washers as shims to space the side windows out to match the outer contour.
 
Good to know

I was going by this VAF post from Cee Bailey/Desser:

All windows/windshields are manufactured in our FAA/PMA approved facility, using the exact same methods, procedures and processes used in manufacturing our Beechcraft, Cessna, Mooney and Piper window products. We use only aircraft grade acrylic, ASTM 4082 standards, in .250 thickness for your side glass. Tint color available is light gray, light green tint, and colorless(clear). All tints meet FAA approval standards for night flight. Allow 4-5 business days for manufacturing, each order is individually hand crafted.

Manufactured from .250 aircraft grade acrylic and available clear, green, & light gray tints. Made in the USA by Cee Baileys Aircraft Plastics.
 
I see... I don't remember it being an issue. I still think the side windows aren't actually .25". I would just order them and then see how they fit when they arrive.
Maybe someone else will chime in who has installed these more recently than me.
 
Side windows

Cee Baileys used my cabin top and doors as a template for the side windows. Pascal had them contact me after they used his plane for the windshield, since he had already installed his side windows. However, we both had the pink top and doors. The side windows are thinner material than the windshield and fit the joggle quite well. Having said that, the production consistency of the fiberglass components is not good and I would expect to have to clean up joggles and increase/decrease the depth in places depending on what you've got to work with. The notorious flat spot in front of the rear window does seem to be a production constant though, so watch out for that :p. I had no cutting to do on either the windshield or side windows, any fine tuning was easily accomplished with a sanding block to trim the edges down.
 
Thanks!

Appreciate the replies, fellows.

Fast running out of things to do closing out the control surface end ribs with foam/glass/micro - and I'll need to order windows soon in order to keep on with the build.
 
Desser Cee Baileys

If you're going to order the windows, consider that Cee Baileys is owned by Desser so think about getting the tires and leak proof tubes while your at it. My retreads have no shake to them (happened on landings with Vans stock classics) and are lasting twice as long as the Vans aeroclassics did.
As for the windows- believe me when I tell you, anything you have to do with the cee baileys acrylic will be 10X less than the cutting and trimming needed for the stuff Vans sends and the quality is far improved for clarity. It fits, as is and as someone else mentioned, I did need to use a washer in a few places to lift the plenty to be flush in high spots. You wont have a oversized issue with these windows!
Best of success

P
 
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