Rear handle on slider canopy

[toolmanmike]

I’m finishing my slider skirts and such and think I need an aft handhold to assist opening.
I’ve seen rear handles on sliders mounted on the top bar to help lift the rear from the outside. I do not want to drill my canopy. What options have you all used to help lift the back of the slider? I’m thinking side hand hold mounted on the skirt? Not sure this will work well though. Seems like it will add a twisting load to the canopy. My slider operates ok but it is pretty tight when closed and needs some lifting action at the back.

 

[Ralph Inkster]

I have tried:
-top rear handle handle, good quality rounded kitchen cabinet handle. OK but no advantage to side tab approach.
-top rear loop fashioned from 2x1x.25 angle. Kept snagging my finger in it.
-side smaller kitchen handles- later replaced with 3” 3/4x1x.125 angle, the handles tended to bend the side skirts
-I pretty much settled with the 3” 3/4x1x .125 tabs, rounded & polished before riveting on. Used this on a couple of builds & rebuilds

 

[rv6n6r]

Rear skirt side handle is what I'd recommend. It's pretty rigid once its all together, I don't think the twisting load will be an issue unless it's excessively tight (in which case you should address that). I'd make the handle as minimal as will work. The tight fit is likely to loosen up over time.

 

[wirejock]

I made two knobs from 1" aluminum bar stock. They are round on the end and powder coated to match. Tapped 10-32. Wide head screw. Just enough to get the canopy moving. Probably cost me a knot or two, but I couldn't open the canopy easily.

 

[Desert Rat]

I put a tab on my aft pilot side skirt and at least on my new canopy, found it difficult to get started, so I went ahead and installed a cabinet handle through the canopy into the spine of the slider frame just fwd of the aft skirt.

I drilled the holes in the plexi a bit oversized and them made smaller diameter bushings to sit inside them. The bushings are slightly longer than the thickness of the canopy assembly so that when the handle is screwed down there's a gap of about 1/32" and it actually doesn't touch the plexiglass. I glued the canopy to the frame with sika, so it wasn't a big deal to fill the empty spaces with the same stuff. The end result is that the handle is rigidly screwed to the frame, but isn't actually touching the plexiglass, and because the holes through it are slightly larger than the bushings, it has room to expand/contract without actually touching any of the hardware.

 

[David Lewis]

I made small left and right finger lifts out of 3/4" angle, as well as a small center lift out of 'H' shaped aluminum. Shaped how I like them. Works great for me.

 

[MikeyDale]

I have a side handles made of 1" x 3/4" aluminum angle. 9 years flying and never needed anything else. I also have the Flyboys Canopy Super tracks which I love! Considered a rear handle but wanted to keep a clean look and glad I did!

 

[MacCool]

I have a side handles made of 1" x 3/4" aluminum angle. 9 years flying and never needed anything else. I also have the Flyboys Canopy Super tracks which I love! Considered a rear handle but wanted to keep a clean look and glad I did!

I didn't build my airplane, but that's what the original builder decided for my RV9A slider. It works great, and I have no need of anything more elaborate.

I completely agree about the Super Tracks canopy extension. It's hard for me to imagine the usefulness of that slider canopy without it.

 

[jcarne]

Side handles is all you need. Works great. Made mine out of some aluminum angle and put a "fancy" design on it. lol

 

[543TB]

We had side tabs on the -6 we bought but didn't build and they always seemed understrength for the task of lifting the canopy. We borrowed an idea from another builder's log and went to the aviation aisle at Home Depot and bought a drawer handle and longer screws, then drilled holes in the canopy and frame that fit between the rivets. Would 10/10 do the same again.

 

[Dan 57]

It all adds up... not needed, so

PS
Spit on your fingers or use the top handle, been good, light, and simple enough since 2005

 

[SuperCubDriver]

We had side tabs on the -6 we bought but didn't build and they always seemed understrength for the task of lifting the canopy. We borrowed an idea from another builder's log and went to the aviation aisle at Home Depot and bought a drawer handle and longer screws, then drilled holes in the canopy and frame that fit between the rivets. Would 10/10 do the same again.
View attachment 67717

I have the exact same setup and love it. I always open the canopy with that handle, easy to reach, no twisting, and Dan - no spitting!

 

[Webb]

Special Delivery shared this design with me. I used 4 plate nuts under the fiberglass so it could be removed when it comes time to finish paint.

Just give it the finger (sans spit) to use it

 

[Rv3Dave]

3/8” thick aluminum drilled and taped for # 10 screws inserted from the inside

 

[Biggiesauls]

Made these during the build of my RV-9A. Cut from aluminum angle stock. Has help up well. I’m too short to use a single handle on top

 

[Scott Hersha]

Mine is very similar to Dave’s above. Mounted to the center tube on the canopy frame with two 10-32 flush screws and nuts. Easily lifts the canopy to open.