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Tip up canopy, sikaflex, specific question fwd 1/3rd area

Daida

Well Known Member
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Hi Folks !!

I post this here because it will be the same answer for the -6, -7 and -9…….probably -14 as well.

I am helping to put a tip up canopy on a -9 which was formerly riveted on, but after a mishap (aircraft is in a rebuild process) the owner wants to glue it on this time using Sikaflex.

On my -8 it was straight forward and no structure was overlapping the canopy.
On the tip up canopies, at least at the -9 i am working on, there is a small overlapping „flap“ where the canopy sits in.
When using Sikaflex, i wouldn‘t want any fix structure to be in contact with the canopy, i‘d rather have a bed of Sikaflex which allows the canopy to ……. flex/float….move/stretch a bit.

Please see attached picture to know what i mean.

How did you Sika your canopy on? Did you cut of those „flaps“ or placed the canopy in it??

Thanks for your help!

Mit Fliegergruss…
 

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Hi Folks !!

I post this here because it will be the same answer for the -6, -7 and -9…….probably -14 as well.

I am helping to put a tip up canopy on a -9 which was formerly riveted on, but after a mishap (aircraft is in a rebuild process) the owner wants to glue it on this time using Sikaflex.

On my -8 it was straight forward and no structure was overlapping the canopy.
On the tip up canopies, at least at the -9 i am working on, there is a small overlapping „flap“ where the canopy sits in.
When using Sikaflex, i wouldn‘t want any fix structure to be in contact with the canopy, i‘d rather have a bed of Sikaflex which allows the canopy to ……. flex/float….move/stretch a bit.

Please see attached picture to know what i mean.

How did you Sika your canopy on? Did you cut of those „flaps“ or placed the canopy in it??

Thanks for your help!

Mit Fliegergruss…

I removed that part. I have a few write ups on the whole process. It worked for me, but do some additional research, don’t just listen to me

 
I wided the slot of that flap quite a bit, as most people do, in order to allow the canopy to rest in it better. I did put a very thin layer of Sika between it and the canopy and didn't fret over the small bump much since it'll be covered and smoothed over by a fairing anyway. If I were to do it over, I'd just chop off the flap, like George did. I know that's a fairly common approach when Sika is in the mix. There's really no reason it needs to be there as far as I can tell.
 
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