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Am I as screwed as I think I am?

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FlyingDiver

Well Known Member
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Page 39is/U-08

I had the C-1202 Canopy Skirts positioned wrong (vertically) when I match drilled into both the canopy frame (WD-1219) and the canopy (C-1201). I could reposition and re-drill, but then I'd have two sets of holes in both the frame and the canopy, and I don't think that's going to be structurally sound if I do. See pic attached. The blue marker circles are where I think the holes should be.

Off to price the replacement parts...
 

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I'd have to get sign off from Van's to make that change if I'm going to keep it an E-LSA. Not sure what I'd need to do to change to E-AB.

The frame rail is a full box, so I don't think it's going to be compromised by the extra holes.
 
FlyingDiver said:
I'd have to get sign off from Van's to make that change if I'm going to keep it an E-LSA. Not sure what I'd need to do to change to E-AB.

The frame rail is a full box, so I don't think it's going to be compromised by the extra holes.
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Ahh. Nevermind
 
Will the skirts cover the holes in the canopy when properly positioned? If so, I’d fill the “ wrong” holes in the plexiglass and build on. I think you’d be ok with the extra set of holes in the frame.

I ruined and had to replace my canopy by templating and sanding the plexiglass too high when building the fiberglass fairing - I wouldn’t wish having to replace a canopy on my worst enemy!
 
FlyingDiver said:
Page 39is/U-08

I had the C-1202 Canopy Skirts positioned wrong (vertically) when I match drilled into both the canopy frame (WD-1219) and the canopy (C-1201). I could reposition and re-drill, but then I'd have two sets of holes in both the frame and the canopy, and I don't think that's going to be structurally sound if I do. See pic attached. The blue marker circles are where I think the holes should be.

Off to price the replacement parts...
Click to expand...
I am just a few steps ahead of you (39-16) and this is my first build. So my opinion with a grain of salt:
As for the frame, I would ask an aircraft welder to fill the wrongfully placed holes, because back home in Germany I was allowed to do all home building myself, except for welding. So I think it might be a smart idea. This professional should also be able to assess, if this would structurally challenge the frame. In the end there are many factors contributing to your frames rigidity: The Plexiglas bonds to the frame, the frame is also supported by the fiberglass up front, this little latches on the aft end bottom and the canopy latch.
As for your holes, I would expect the frames stability upwards and thereby canopy operations might be affected, less so in the down and locked position. If the professional aircraft welder considers it doable, nobody will see it, except for the plexiglass hole. If there is more than one hole in the plexiglass, I am absolutely running out of expertise. Optically, they could be covered by a pice of tape like we use it on gliders.
 
wirejock said:
I have no knowledge of the 12, but here's an outside the box option.
Don't drill more holes. Sikaflex the canopy.
That does leave a bunch of holes, but maybe they are below the bond line.
Just an idea.
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Speed holes shaving weight. (y)
 
Jjackh10 said:
I don't know what alloy that part is but most of Vans airframes are 2024 alclad. That is not weldable.
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True and while I don’t know what kind of aluminum the frame is made of, I am sure it is somehow weldable, since the parts of the frame have been welded by Vans (e.g. see ~30 degrees angle on the picture attached, but there are more welded places on the frame).
 

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FlyingDiver said:
Page 39is/U-08

I had the C-1202 Canopy Skirts positioned wrong (vertically) when I match drilled into both the canopy frame (WD-1219) and the canopy (C-1201). I could reposition and re-drill, but then I'd have two sets of holes in both the frame and the canopy, and I don't think that's going to be structurally sound if I do. See pic attached. The blue marker circles are where I think the holes should be.

Off to price the replacement parts...
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear of your trouble. I feared doing something like this myself. Definitely check with Van's to see what they say. I'm just another first time builder, but I wonder if the canopy holes can be filled with an epoxy filler and perhaps the holes in the frame reused as is? It wouldn't necessarily be easy.

In the long run, though, consider whether you want to look at this every time you get into the plane. It's a lot easier to replace these parts now than after the fiberglassing is done.
 
FlyingDiver said:
Page 39is/U-08

I had the C-1202 Canopy Skirts positioned wrong (vertically) when I match drilled into both the canopy frame (WD-1219) and the canopy (C-1201). I could reposition and re-drill, but then I'd have two sets of holes in both the frame and the canopy, and I don't think that's going to be structurally sound if I do. See pic attached. The blue marker circles are where I think the holes should be.

Off to price the replacement parts...
Click to expand...
Is it just the one hole in the canopy, or did all of them get drilled? Either way, since you're building an E-LSA, contact Van's support and see what they have to say.

If you were building E-AB, and it's only the one hole in the canopy, could you fabricate a custom C-1202? Make it exact copy of your existing C-1202, except move the frame holes up to align with where you've already drilled. Then you'd just have the one canopy hole to fill, no additional holes in the frame, and all your parts end up in the correct place. Except for a line of rivets that are less than 1/2" too high.
 
rv12is said:
Is it just the one hole in the canopy, or did all of them get drilled? Either way, since you're building an E-LSA, contact Van's support and see what they have to say.

If you were building E-AB, and it's only the one hole in the canopy, could you fabricate a custom C-1202? Make it exact copy of your existing C-1202, except move the frame holes up to align with where you've already drilled. Then you'd just have the one canopy hole to fill, no additional holes in the frame, and all your parts end up in the correct place. Except for a line of rivets that are less than 1/2" too high.
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I don’t think I would consider having the holes filled. It would probably be TIG and the heat will distort the frame enough you may never get it to fit right.
 
Countersink and put a rivet in it. A little filler and sand smooth. When painted, it won’t be seen.
 
Take a breath and a step back. I broke my canopy into many pieces last year, that was terminal. This may not be. Just the one hole in canopy?
Those canopy frame holes attach the skirt, not the canopy directly. Filling old ones and drilling new, not the end of the world. The canopy is 'held' down by screws and nuts through the upper holes in the cnopy skirt and the flange on the other side. No great forces here, the many screws in the hoop and rivets/fibreglass at the front do that work.
 
Webb said:
Countersink and put a rivet in it. A little filler and sand smooth. When painted, it won’t be seen.
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Id Agree with this approach. Obviously contact Vans and get at least an "email thumbs up". But I think countersink and pop a rivet in there would support the hole nicely.
 
Webb said:
Countersink and put a rivet in it. A little filler and sand smooth. When painted, it won’t be seen.
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That rail with the misdrilled holes is completely covered by the canopy skirt, so no cosmetic or painting issues. As long as Van’s is ok with leaving the holes and redrilling, there’s no need to fill them. If the holes were filled with countersunk rivets, the rivets would have to be CS4-3 or equivalent pulled rivets (the rail is a box section), which wouldn’t add any significant torsional strength to the frame.
 
jsalley said:
That rail with the misdrilled holes is completely covered by the canopy skirt, so no cosmetic or painting issues. As long as Van’s is ok with leaving the holes and redrilling, there’s no need to fill them. If the holes were filled with countersunk rivets, the rivets would have to be CS4-3 or equivalent pulled rivets (the rail is a box section), which wouldn’t add any significant torsional strength to the frame.
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I was referring to using a solid rivet, not a pulled rivet. Properly done and filled, it’s a Houdini and the hole disappears.
 
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