Van's Air Force
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Canopy Clearance for Tipper
- Thread starter JimP
- Start date
Jim,
There is no way to know for sure until the forward skin is permanently installed. Here is a link to my canopy experiences which is quite common.
http://www.jeffsrv-7a.com/FUSELAGE/05-01-12.htm
There is no way to know for sure until the forward skin is permanently installed. Here is a link to my canopy experiences which is quite common.
http://www.jeffsrv-7a.com/FUSELAGE/05-01-12.htm
I had an interesting thing happen with respect to the skin gap. I had it nice and tight when I drilled the pilot hole in the hinge (#10). It was all good until I opened up the holes for the press fit bushings. I opened up the holes a few thousandths at a time with a cordless drill on the bench. Once I got the bushings pressed in and everything remounted, I discovered that during the process of opening up the holes, the hole must have walked a little (~1/16") which directly translated to the canopy skin gap. Of course it "walked" the wrong direction 
. Oh well, I've got more gap than most would want. Oh yeah, and the top center of the skins just barely clear when opening.
. Oh well, I've got more gap than most would want. Oh yeah, and the top center of the skins just barely clear when opening.
fodrv7
Well Known Member
Gap?
I used 0.30" aluminium as a shim. It worked well and produced a minimal gap after painting.
Caution: I stuck a strip of UHMW tape under the front of the canopy skin as per Vans Manual. The canopy opened beautifully. I was then told I should remove the tape as it was only needed during construction. WRONG! I did and it caught and damaged the canopy foreskin. I then had a panel beater repair it and fitted another strip of UHMW and it opens smoothly without catching.
Pete.
I used 0.30" aluminium as a shim. It worked well and produced a minimal gap after painting.
Caution: I stuck a strip of UHMW tape under the front of the canopy skin as per Vans Manual. The canopy opened beautifully. I was then told I should remove the tape as it was only needed during construction. WRONG! I did and it caught and damaged the canopy foreskin. I then had a panel beater repair it and fitted another strip of UHMW and it opens smoothly without catching.
Pete.
Scott, Your fix is easy. All you need to do is reinstall new bushings with an undersize hole and redrill with the canopy frame in place. OR start with a new set of blocks, and using a short hinge pin like I did and then drill the 2 mounting holes again, with the canopy frame in place. Problem solved for under $10 and under 1 hour.
-Jeff
-Jeff
Gap
I haven't riveted the skin on yet however I gapped my assembly with 0.040" spacers. Once the bushing were drilled (almost perfectly centered I might add) I reinstalled everything and my gap came out 0.050-.060" overall. I also noted that even with this gap the center area comes close to hitting when opening. I can see why if the UHMW tape was removed it could actually hit.
I perfer a constant width gap over a taper any day of week. I am pleased with the gap for now.
Paul
RV-7A
I haven't riveted the skin on yet however I gapped my assembly with 0.040" spacers. Once the bushing were drilled (almost perfectly centered I might add) I reinstalled everything and my gap came out 0.050-.060" overall. I also noted that even with this gap the center area comes close to hitting when opening. I can see why if the UHMW tape was removed it could actually hit.
I perfer a constant width gap over a taper any day of week. I am pleased with the gap for now.
Paul
RV-7A
From a few interestings things I've found out over the the last couple of days it would be best not to dwell on this. Your gap will be whatever it takes to open the canopy without catching your foreskin on it, probably bigger than vans says it should be. It's all good and in the end it'll work fine.
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LettersFromFlyoverCountry
Well Known Member
I think I need this explained again. I'm missing something.
In the end, I think mine came out great. I'm very happy with it, fun flying.
db1yg
Well Known Member
Jim,
One tip on this tip up to front skin install---take into consideration the forward pressure that the "canopy lifts" will have on the fit once they are installed with the canopy closed. If you get a real tight fit that barely clears the front skin you may bind once the lifts are installed due to the forward pressure created by the lifts and flexing or "play" in the hinge mechanics. Don't ask me how I know!!
I fixed this by installing a block stop on each side of the canopy just above the longeron caps where it meets the forward skin structure. Get your tip up installed (without the lifts) with the clearance you want and find a way to measure the clearance between the bowed tip up front frame and the structure under the front skin--then make some simple stops from UHMW plastic or hard rubber that will maintain this clearance once the lifts are installed.
Cheers,
db
One tip on this tip up to front skin install---take into consideration the forward pressure that the "canopy lifts" will have on the fit once they are installed with the canopy closed. If you get a real tight fit that barely clears the front skin you may bind once the lifts are installed due to the forward pressure created by the lifts and flexing or "play" in the hinge mechanics. Don't ask me how I know!!
I fixed this by installing a block stop on each side of the canopy just above the longeron caps where it meets the forward skin structure. Get your tip up installed (without the lifts) with the clearance you want and find a way to measure the clearance between the bowed tip up front frame and the structure under the front skin--then make some simple stops from UHMW plastic or hard rubber that will maintain this clearance once the lifts are installed.
Cheers,
db
rv9av8tr
Well Known Member
tip-up canopy skin gap
I just finished setting this gap on my RV-9A. After looking at Van's prototype last week, I don't see this "gap" as critical. The entire gap area is filled with body filler to plug the rib space holes at the aft edge of the forward skin. Van's used a body filler all along this gap edge to create a seal of the foward skin to the bulkhead.
Mike Rhodes
RV-9A #1330 About to make canopy plexiglass first trim cut........
I just finished setting this gap on my RV-9A. After looking at Van's prototype last week, I don't see this "gap" as critical. The entire gap area is filled with body filler to plug the rib space holes at the aft edge of the forward skin. Van's used a body filler all along this gap edge to create a seal of the foward skin to the bulkhead.
Mike Rhodes
RV-9A #1330 About to make canopy plexiglass first trim cut........
Tbone
Well Known Member
Front skin tip up height?
After reading these posts and I do have a good line on the front edge, but the tip up leading edge sits proud of the front deck skin by about the skin thickness. I have to pull down with several strips of duct tape to get it nearly flush in the curved portions. Is this normal? I can't see or feel any interference under the skin. Also I haven't seen any reference to the .032 gap for the tip up clearance dimensions. Where is that at?
After reading these posts and I do have a good line on the front edge, but the tip up leading edge sits proud of the front deck skin by about the skin thickness.
I have to pull down with several strips of duct tape to get it nearly flush in the curved portions. Is this normal? I can't see or feel any interference under the skin. Also I haven't seen any reference to the .032 gap for the tip up clearance dimensions. Where is that at?
After reading these posts and I do have a good line on the front edge, but the tip up leading edge sits proud of the front deck skin by about the skin thickness.
Yep, I have the same problem and have seen the same many times. I added some shims (If I remember correctly) under the forward skin at the sub-panel to try to get it a hair higher around the curve. Still not perfect, but flies great!
Tbone
Well Known Member
Tip Up gap?
On the forward tip up canopy skin I have a good gap if I remove the alum "spacers" from the hinge sandwich. Can these be thinned down so I can get a decent gap? Also how much does the struts close up the gap? One more question...If your hinge pin centerline is off why couldn't you just add more material (TIG) to the thin side? Not sure if this is clear but those who have been before know what I'm talking about.
On the forward tip up canopy skin I have a good gap if I remove the alum "spacers" from the hinge sandwich. Can these be thinned down so I can get a decent gap? Also how much does the struts close up the gap? One more question...If your hinge pin centerline is off why couldn't you just add more material (TIG) to the thin side? Not sure if this is clear but those who have been before know what I'm talking about.
LettersFromFlyoverCountry
Well Known Member
I had the same problem as scott so one side is a tad higher than the other. I also had a nice flush .032 gap when I started...but by the time I was done fitting the canopy and everything, that puppy was binding like crazy. I'll probably just shim the middle of the top canopy skin and see if that "lifts" it enough to get it over. I don't want to increase the gap any more than it aready is (and despite my best efforts, I've got a pretty large gap on the fron left side). The fixes suggested won't work for me as I've already fit the canopy etc.
I've fretted over this and that on the canopy. I don't know anyone who says this isn't the biggest PITA on the plane.
But you know what? At some point, I decided I'm going to live with the gap... folks can point and laugh and giggle at it... and my new crack in the canopy (even if they can't really see it ... yet). I'm a freakin' writer for cripes sake, not an engineer....not a builder...and sure as heck, not much of a craftsman.
At some point, I have to accept that I'm incapable of building a perfect airplane, but I'm not incapable of building an airplane.
If I tell myself that often enough, I begin to feel better and the canopy fit looks better.
I've fretted over this and that on the canopy. I don't know anyone who says this isn't the biggest PITA on the plane.
But you know what? At some point, I decided I'm going to live with the gap... folks can point and laugh and giggle at it... and my new crack in the canopy (even if they can't really see it ... yet). I'm a freakin' writer for cripes sake, not an engineer....not a builder...and sure as heck, not much of a craftsman.
At some point, I have to accept that I'm incapable of building a perfect airplane, but I'm not incapable of building an airplane.
If I tell myself that often enough, I begin to feel better and the canopy fit looks better.
After reading these posts and I do have a good line on the front edge, but the tip up leading edge sits proud of the front deck skin by about the skin thickness.
It's mentioned in the manual section 9 I don't remember the page.
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