[Daida]

Hi Folks !!

I post this here because it will be the same answer for the -6, -7 and -9…….probably -14 as well.

I am helping to put a tip up canopy on a -9 which was formerly riveted on, but after a mishap (aircraft is in a rebuild process) the owner wants to glue it on this time using Sikaflex.

On my -8 it was straight forward and no structure was overlapping the canopy.
On the tip up canopies, at least at the -9 i am working on, there is a small overlapping „flap“ where the canopy sits in.
When using Sikaflex, i wouldn‘t want any fix structure to be in contact with the canopy, i‘d rather have a bed of Sikaflex which allows the canopy to ……. flex/float….move/stretch a bit.

Please see attached picture to know what i mean.

How did you Sika your canopy on? Did you cut of those „flaps“ or placed the canopy in it??

Thanks for your help!

Mit Fliegergruss…

 

[N890GF]

Hi Folks !!

I post this here because it will be the same answer for the -6, -7 and -9…….probably -14 as well.

I am helping to put a tip up canopy on a -9 which was formerly riveted on, but after a mishap (aircraft is in a rebuild process) the owner wants to glue it on this time using Sikaflex.

On my -8 it was straight forward and no structure was overlapping the canopy.
On the tip up canopies, at least at the -9 i am working on, there is a small overlapping „flap“ where the canopy sits in.
When using Sikaflex, i wouldn‘t want any fix structure to be in contact with the canopy, i‘d rather have a bed of Sikaflex which allows the canopy to ……. flex/float….move/stretch a bit.

Please see attached picture to know what i mean.

How did you Sika your canopy on? Did you cut of those „flaps“ or placed the canopy in it??

Thanks for your help!

Mit Fliegergruss…

I removed that part. I have a few write ups on the whole process. It worked for me, but do some additional research, don’t just listen to me

Bonded Canopy

This weekend was a big weekend. Test fitting the canopy for final adjustments My friend Norio came to help with the install. We started by dry fitting the canopy and marking it for exact alignment.…

n890gf.com

 

[skelrad]

I wided the slot of that flap quite a bit, as most people do, in order to allow the canopy to rest in it better. I did put a very thin layer of Sika between it and the canopy and didn't fret over the small bump much since it'll be covered and smoothed over by a fairing anyway. If I were to do it over, I'd just chop off the flap, like George did. I know that's a fairly common approach when Sika is in the mix. There's really no reason it needs to be there as far as I can tell.

 

[sibriggs]

One hint from a successful RV9 tip-up install 9 years ago I did with no issues. Get the canopy all set up and ready with clecos, install the canopy by spreading the Sika completely, carefully mount the canopy on the Sika then Cleco the hole package and wait until morning for some great result that ate vibration tolerant and never crack like rivets or screws through the plastic. The Cleco will release through the Sika, except the Clecos might have to be MEKed if needing to be reused. The squeezed out cured Sika can be carefully cut away form the joint with a razor knife. The most difficult part was removing the Sika squeeze from the narrow space in the very front where the plastic meets the frame. Clecos remain in place overnight.

Same process I used on the Vari-EZE, except the plexi was epoxy-flox bonded directly to the canopy frame, no Sika.

 

[Daida]

Thanks for your answers. We cut those flaps of. Worked out very well!!

We didn‘t drill a single hole in the canopy. We clamped it in place with all different kind of clamps and grip-devices.
We cut standard garden hose (3mm wall thickness) in pieces and used them as spacers between structure and canopy. We then „spot welded“ the canopy in place in between those clamped spacers.
In 2 days we will remove the clamps and spacers an fill the gaps with Sika.

Should become another trouble free canopy!