Slider that slides forward???

[Mike D]

Has anyone built a slider that has a forward sliding canopy?

I like the slider because of the way it functions in the wind and that I can open it in the Houston heat.

I like the tip up because of the view and access to the panel wiring.

So I thought, wouldn?t it be great if the canopy slid forward so I could have the best of both worlds. Just thinking for now.

[Mike S]

Saw this done in a Dragonfly once, used a set of arms apx 4" long that pivoted entire canopy up before sliding, problems of the idea are getting a good seal on the front half of the canopy, and getting the slider rails forward of the cockpit.

In the Dragonfly, the entire canopy opens up, not just the rear portion like a slider RV does.

Latching it into flight position may well be a bit of a problem, put you into the "RV 10 door" state of things.

[JonJay]

I was looking to do a similar thing with my prior RV3 project. The only way I found possible would be to integrate the canopy with the wind screen as one unit. In the RV3 it became an issue of sealing and clearance over your head as it moved forward. I envisioned something like MIke has seen on the Dragonfly as possible. With the RV6 the issue would be the roll bar and sealing. You would have to engineer a different manner of roll over protection, perhaps like a tip up.

[Michael White]

Originally Posted by Mike D

Has anyone built a slider that has a forward sliding canopy?

I like the slider because of the way it functions in the wind and that I can open it in the Houston heat.

I like the tip up because of the view and access to the panel wiring.

So I thought, wouldn?t it be great if the canopy slid forward so I could have the best of both worlds. Just thinking for now.

Mike,
If you can find one nearby, go take a look at a Lancair 235...it has a forward sliding canopy just like what you're looking for.

Regards,

[Mike D]

Thanks Moose. This is what I was thinking. I will have to find one to see how it is done. But it looks a little heavy.

[Mike S]

Moose, thanks also.

This is the same as the design of the unit I was trying to describe.

IIRC, the early Lancair even used the canopy from a Dragonfly.

[Michael White]

Mike and Mike,
Any time, guys!

Mike D...it looks like two legs per side, pivoting up and over (pivots on both ends of each leg). I don't see why a standard RV-6 tipper wouldn't work. And it'll probably be lighter in aluminum...

[Ironflight]

I also thought about doing this on the -3, trying to have a slider that didn't block my view. i figured I could put the split behind the pilot's head, but couldn't come up with a nice way to mechanize it that wouldn't weigh a lot. I saw a Pulsar that had a canopy like this, but it's forward "leg" was on a track embedded in the skin - much easier on a glass airplane. We've settled on the standard tip-over to get the unobstructed visibility.

Paul

[lostpilot28]

Yep, the Pulsar XP has a canopy that slides forward. I really liked the unobstructed visibility. Paul is right about the rail in the center being tricky. The downsides, from what I can remember, were that a lot of air (and water) would leak in under the windscreen...a few guys tried sealing it with weather stripping, but it was never perfect.

[AME at Large]

I took a flight in a Zenith CH200 years ago, as I recall it was my Young Eagles flight. It's all metal with a forward sliding canopy as are the Zenith 250 and I think the 300 as well. Check Airliners.net for photos. It looks difficult to seal but it's been done.
Phil