Canopy height once again

[jay.pearlman]

I look through all the threads and do not see a clearcut answer. I am installing the roll bar and canopy in a few days. A friend suggested I raise the canopy height in the front - raising the roll bar about 1 inch and then build to fit.
Who has done this and would you do it again? How much extra work is involved?
I have a nose wheel slider
Thanks

 

[cln1owner]

Don't know how much difference, in headroom, 1" at the forward bow would make, but I can think of a few things that will change:

- Side Skirts, as provided, would be too short.
- Windshield portion of the canopy, depending upon where the "big cut", and initial excess triming, was made, may be too short on the sides.
- Roll bar to canopy front bow gap wouldn't be uniform (wider at the top), so in addition to extenting the feet of the canopy frame front bow, and raising the roll bar, shimming the roll bar slightly aft may be necessary.
- The aft facing "ears" of the front top fuselage skin will interfere with the roll bar. As per plans they come very close, or touch.

 

[jay.pearlman]

where do we go?

Thanks to all who have sent me responses. Since I had the front support tube built and mounted and the change would require new materials, I will stick to the design as is. Most people who made the change said they liked it. It is more important on the tail dragger to give over the nose visibility. For a nose wheel plane it is not as clear. The consensus is that it is not hard to do and Van's had a description of the steps available some years ago (probably 15).