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Building the Tip-Up Canopy

July 12, 2016 through October 8, 2016
Vans calls constructing the canopy, whether tip-up or slider, one of the most challenging aspects of the build. Vans is always right.

Our “tipper” began with drilling the HDPE blocks that are bolted to the fuselage and serve as hinge supports for the front of the canopy.  These blocks support retractable pins that hold the front of the canopy in place.  The retraction mechanism is controlled by a tee handle that may be pulled to release the canopy.  Builders who plan on doing aerobatics while wearing parachutes will place the tee handle on the instrument panel.  Not having those aspirations, our handle is on the sub-panel where it is accessible on the ground by first opening the canopy.

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Flush Canopy Latch Handles

August 7, 2016

The standard Vans RV Canopy Latch Handle protrudes from the fuselage out into the air stream.  I purchased a JDAir system that is flush to the fuselage, sitting in rectangular slots cut in the skin.  The mechanism consists of a latch that is pushed in to release a handle that pops out of the skin. The handle can then be pulled to open the canopy.

The handles are fitted and bolted to doublers that will later be riveted to the skin.  Then, a metal template is cut and fitted to the handles.  The template shown above best positions the slot pattern that is transferred to the skin.

The slots are cut, and the latch mechanism is bolted to the doublers and riveted to the skin.  The above photo shows the completed flush latch handles at a later stage of the build.

This last photo, taken from the JDAir website, shows the cockpit side of the handles.

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New Air Compressor

July 09, 2016

Dolly’s 20 gal compressor failed in July.  I replaced it with this oil-less 150 psi unit from Harbor Freight.  It works as advertised.  I learned however that a lower-pressure higher-volume pump might have been a better choice.  Our air tools don’t need pressures above 60 psi, and this pump can’t keep up with our die grinder or finger sander.  It also runs longer reaching it’s non-adjustable cutoff pressure of 150 psi.  Fortunately it fits under the weather cover built for it’s horizontal tank predecessor.