blaplante

blaplante

Well Known Member
This is *not* an intent to start a canopy war :)
So please, don't.

The situation I've just discovered with the project I purchased a couple months ago is as follows: the kit is an RV-6A QB. Very little has been done to the fuselage. The finish kit is for a slider. So imagine my surprise a week ago when it began to dawn on me that the QB is a tip-up! So I have a QB fuselage (F-621A and B installed, sub-panel for tip-up installed), but have a packing sheet for a slider finish kit and definitely a slider canopy frame.

Add one more thing to the mix --- the guy apparently (originally?) bought a slow-build RV6A slider fuselage kit. I have extras of a whole bunch of stuff... and the F-6107, 6108, 6109, 6110 parts.

So here is the conundrum: as I am of mixed feelings about either tip-up or slider (I see pros and cons to both), I'm really of the mind to take the least resistance path. Which is?

a) Purchase parts to convert the finish kit to a tip-up. Doing some figuring last night, it might get a little expensive, and the tip-up frame isn't showing up on the online parts list.

b) convert the QB fuselage. apparently meaning I have to drill out nearly 100 rivets in the F-621 A/B and firewall. Ack.

Any else faced this or have tips/advice?

Thanks!
 
If it's neither here nor there as far as the type of canopy, I'd drill the 100 rivets. Don't let it worry you, after the first 5 or 10, you'll get the hang of it.
 
Yeah, eventually we all have to do it. I just had to rebuild my rudder because it got crushed while moving the project to the airport. I reused my stiffeners, so literally every rivet in both skins got drilled out. It's a lot of rivets.
 
Sliders are waaay cooler than tip-ups... both figuratively, and literally.
Can't hang your arm out the side of a tip-up while taxiing and waving at everyone :D
 
ChiefPilot said:
...and we're off!
Click to expand...

into the first corner we have slider ahead by a wing rib over tip up, followed closely by RV4 tip over and combination tipup/slider, bringing up the rear more than 6 longerons back is open cockpit windshield........
 
Too funny ... I really resisted the urge to open that can of worms ... but now that it is - I can see both sides. I have a tip up and LOVE the visibility. The flip side is that it's been 100+ deg for 3 mths here in TX and when taxiing on the ground, a slider would have been MUCH more comfortable. I just recently installed the Koger sunshade and that helped a bunch. Were I to do it again - tipup, hands down.
 
It's easy..

Take the path of least resistance:) Both canopies are fine...the tip-up has incredible visibility with no roll bar obstruction. The tip can't slide for fresh air while taxiing but you can raise it for fresh air..

Your choice, really.

Best,
 
Outcome

In the end we did pull out the tip-up components. I have to say it went much easier than I expected, only about 3 hours of effort. Only 3 or some munged up holes that will require oversize rivets; all of which will be hidden by the canopy track.
 
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