Tom Martin
Well Known Member
On all my previous builds the canopies have been built on the airframe; made to match the fuselage. There is an old builders joke about that,
"Make the first airplane part as close to the plans as possible, then make all the other parts fit the first part"
With the RV14 this old story no longer applies. The canopy frame is built completely by itself on the bench with no trial fitting to the fuselage.
I followed the canopy frame instructions step by step. It is not a difficult process and you can certainly see how much thought went into the process. The only thing that I did not use was a digital level. In this case it is not necessary that you know exact angles, just that each side of the frame is at the same angle as the other. It is very easy to see even minute differences with an accurate construction bubble level. I am not saying to do as I do, that is just what works for me.
I spent about two hours in the hardware store picking out a level that was actually level, and it has built a number of very accurate and fast aircraft.
Yesterday I took the riveted canopy frame and slid it into place on the canopy hinge mechanism. The forward pins slipped perfectly in place and when I pulled the canopy closed it locked in place with the latch and lined up perfectly with the side rails and aft canopy bow!
it required a very small amount of filing on the metal close to the hinge to allow it to open and close without binding. The gap between the boot cowl and the canopy is even and consistent along the whole frame. Awesome!!
"Make the first airplane part as close to the plans as possible, then make all the other parts fit the first part"
With the RV14 this old story no longer applies. The canopy frame is built completely by itself on the bench with no trial fitting to the fuselage.
I followed the canopy frame instructions step by step. It is not a difficult process and you can certainly see how much thought went into the process. The only thing that I did not use was a digital level. In this case it is not necessary that you know exact angles, just that each side of the frame is at the same angle as the other. It is very easy to see even minute differences with an accurate construction bubble level. I am not saying to do as I do, that is just what works for me.
I spent about two hours in the hardware store picking out a level that was actually level, and it has built a number of very accurate and fast aircraft.
Yesterday I took the riveted canopy frame and slid it into place on the canopy hinge mechanism. The forward pins slipped perfectly in place and when I pulled the canopy closed it locked in place with the latch and lined up perfectly with the side rails and aft canopy bow!
it required a very small amount of filing on the metal close to the hinge to allow it to open and close without binding. The gap between the boot cowl and the canopy is even and consistent along the whole frame. Awesome!!
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