PandaCub
Well Known Member
So I'm enroute to AOPA's Buckeye, AZ Fly-in in my RV-8 when at 12,500 and -7º F over the Rockies I hear a muffled "pop" that was loud enough to break intercom squelch.
Boyle's Law potato chip bag burst, maybe? Nothing so simple, unfortunately.
I looked things over on the ground and to my great disappointment found a crack nearly halfway across the aft portion of my beautiful Todd's tinted canopy. This RV-8 only has about 120 hours and everything's been great; I can only imagine that the canopy was already stressed and extreme temperatures may have pushed something over its limit. I now join the crestfallen cadre of cracked canopy connoisseurs and am wondering how best to repair it.
Some fellow fly-in campers in an RV-10 helped me stop-drill the crack (thanks Don and Gerry!) and I've applied Gorilla tape to the inner and outer surface (also covered by aluminum tape offset .25" forward to taper the duct tape's leading edge). There's at least a .015" gap at the crack's origin, tapering down to nothing as it propagates about 14 inches to the stop hole. The good news is the crack is very linear and doesn't block either pilot or passenger view, so after repair I could cover it with a colored vinyl stripe that would almost look like part of the plane.
I know there are a few threads on plexiglass, but each case seems different and I'd appreciate any tips on new materials, techniques, and other advice to help save this treasured Todd's Canopy. Any trusted plexiglass repairmen in the Palm Springs, CA area? I'm headed there next for a few days.
Boyle's Law potato chip bag burst, maybe? Nothing so simple, unfortunately.
I looked things over on the ground and to my great disappointment found a crack nearly halfway across the aft portion of my beautiful Todd's tinted canopy. This RV-8 only has about 120 hours and everything's been great; I can only imagine that the canopy was already stressed and extreme temperatures may have pushed something over its limit. I now join the crestfallen cadre of cracked canopy connoisseurs and am wondering how best to repair it.
Some fellow fly-in campers in an RV-10 helped me stop-drill the crack (thanks Don and Gerry!) and I've applied Gorilla tape to the inner and outer surface (also covered by aluminum tape offset .25" forward to taper the duct tape's leading edge). There's at least a .015" gap at the crack's origin, tapering down to nothing as it propagates about 14 inches to the stop hole. The good news is the crack is very linear and doesn't block either pilot or passenger view, so after repair I could cover it with a colored vinyl stripe that would almost look like part of the plane.
I know there are a few threads on plexiglass, but each case seems different and I'd appreciate any tips on new materials, techniques, and other advice to help save this treasured Todd's Canopy. Any trusted plexiglass repairmen in the Palm Springs, CA area? I'm headed there next for a few days.
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