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Removable windscreen fairing

B

Ben Ellis

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I’m looking for advice on making a removable fiberglass windscreen fairing for my RV-8. Long story short, I want to do the fiberglass work in my basement shop instead of the far away unheated hangar, and I can’t get the plane out of the basement if the windscreen, rollbar or canopy are attached to the airplane. Also, I don’t want to do a removable aluminum fairing.

I have taken the EAA fiberglass course where we built the part of the fairing that bonds the windscreen to the forward top skin, but that is the extent of my experience in this area so I may be missing some things. Here’s how I think I would do it:
  • Attach windscreen to roll bar with screws per plans.
  • Put mylar packaging tape on the forward fuselage skin and windscreen / canopy where the fairing will overlap.
  • Mask the fairing area with electrical tape (over the packaging tape) per the instructions.
  • Build the fairing and sand to shape per plans.
  • Pull the fairing and tape off the plane and hope that it releases easily.
  • Unscrew and remove windscreen, rollbar and canopy once all work is done.
  • When ready to attach windscreen permanently, use the Sikaflex method to attach the fairing to the forward skin and windscreen.
Do you guys have any suggestions or words of warning for me? Is there something that might work better than packaging tape to keep the fairing from sticking to the skin or windscreen?
 
That's how I did it. Both the canopy trim and windshield trim. I used heavy packing tape. Wax for release.
The only issue is making sure neither gets distorted in storage before final bonding.
 
I did it this way as well. Wax for release (what Larry already mentioned) is the only thing you missed.
I did Two coats (let dry in between) and everything came apart like charme!
 
Ben Ellis said:
Thanks guys. Did you have any issues getting the tape residue off the plexiglass?
Click to expand...
Ahh. Important. Apply yellow frog tape first. It's thin and leaves no residue. Draw your lines on the yellow tape. 3M Heavy Packing tape over that. Lines will show all the way through the fiberglass but I usually redraw them on each application.
 
My friend rolled me an aluminum one. Not a real good picture but only one I have on my iPad that shows it.
If just me, no friend that whiz on English wheel, I would go fiberglass route as I think simpler than obtaining skill to shape aluminum.

1759318105262.png
 
Last edited:
plehrke said:
My friend rolled me an aluminum one. Not a real good picture but only one I have on my iPad that shows it.
If just me, no friend that whiz on English wheel, I would go fiberglass route as I think simpler than obtaining skill to shape aluminum.
Click to expand...
Very nice.
Regardless of materials, I like the traditional look of a removable fairing. I’ll do it on my 15 build.
Materials TBD.
 
I did mine in aluminum like mburch above! Super easy to make. I will be sikaflexing the fairing to the plexi and aluminum, but you don't have to.
 
Ben Ellis said:
I’m looking for advice on making a removable fiberglass windscreen fairing for my RV-8. Long story short, I want to do the fiberglass work in my basement shop instead of the far away unheated hangar, and I can’t get the plane out of the basement if the windscreen, rollbar or canopy are attached to the airplane. Also, I don’t want to do a removable aluminum fairing.

I have taken the EAA fiberglass course where we built the part of the fairing that bonds the windscreen to the forward top skin, but that is the extent of my experience in this area so I may be missing some things. Here’s how I think I would do it:
  • Attach windscreen to roll bar with screws per plans.
  • Put mylar packaging tape on the forward fuselage skin and windscreen / canopy where the fairing will overlap.
  • Mask the fairing area with electrical tape (over the packaging tape) per the instructions.
  • Build the fairing and sand to shape per plans.
  • Pull the fairing and tape off the plane and hope that it releases easily.
  • Unscrew and remove windscreen, rollbar and canopy once all work is done.
  • When ready to attach windscreen permanently, use the Sikaflex method to attach the fairing to the forward skin and windscreen.
Do you guys have any suggestions or words of warning for me? Is there something that might work better than packaging tape to keep the fairing from sticking to the skin or windscreen?
Click to expand...
Some observations & thoughts

Sika users, I have read on other posts of folks gluing canopies to frames with Sika, that they require a bead of some thickness between the plexi & frame (similar to the thick urethane bead used in car windshields). True? And if so, how would a very thin layer of Sika hold up with a tight fitting w/shield fairing hold up for the long term of expansion/ contraction cycles, and the very important stress test of an unknowing passenger leaning on the top back edge of your w/shield.

I have experienced a top w/shield fairing separating from a w/shield in flight in a RV6 I was bringing home from purchase (in that case epoxy resin per Vans instructions). An instantaneous, extremely loud screaming noise coming from the w/shield. Duct tape, lots of it, got me home that day. I repaired that w/shield fairing by prosealing it down & installing about 4 countersink screws thru to the roll bar, super strong.

I am currently re-installing a new canopy /windshield on another 6. This one has glass skirts per Larry’s installation but will be riveted on & finished up with a light layer of glass & micro. The W/shield fairing will be layed up & popped off for easy edge sanding, when ready will again be prosealed, screwed & riveted in place.
Instead of packing tape, I layed down vinyl wrap material (hi adhesion, maybe not ideal) over the plexi & front cowl area, electrical tape used to define the edges of the proposed fairing, a bit of wax & layed the fiberglass right over it. The whole thing popped off with compressed air. Than I sanded the edges to final shape.
Vividia sold on Amazon has a painters masking / tracing vinyl film (low adhesion) that would work well instead of the shipping tape or other masking methods.
 
A thought just came to my mind. As a way of further securing the windscreen fairing in addition to sikaflex, do you think it would be possible to embed a few low profile nut plates in the thickest part of the windscreen fairing with the screw head on the inside of the fuselage? Just use some short screws that won't poke out the top. Attach the screws to the nut plates and then lay down a layer of epoxy with flox to cover the nut plates and then glass over that. Thoughts?
 
I Sika'd the canopy and rear windows on my 7 tipper. The canopy had the required 1/8" thickness but the rear windows only about 1/16". No issues with either in 8 years and 800 hrs of flying. Many freeze thaw cycles here in Ontario Canada. I Sika'd my 8 as well but glassed the windscreen fairing. Only finished in January this year but ok so far. No mechanical fasteners were used in either installation. As long as the installation steps are followed Sika is super strong and really adheres.
 
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