Canopy

Sometimes I do stupid things because I don't think. Other times I think too much, and end up doing strange and complicated things. This time however, I must have been brain dead. Dirk Verdonck from the Netherlands emailed me and showed how he fixed the canopy using plywood former on the turtle deck. The obvious solution of course. So I made myself a set of formers. I need some other bolts to fasten them. No I can simply adjust the formers so the canopy fits perfectly to the turtle deck, and then fasten the bows afterward.

Canopy and visit from Denmark

Should be towing gliders today, but Mr Winter decided to come back for a visit with some heavy snow. So, back to the canopy. The canopy is much more fiddly than anticipated. My son and I worked all day, and got a few inches further.It would be much easier if the aft edge was made similar to the fwd edge with a defined mating edge (the end of the wind shield, the wind shield bow). It would also be much easier to get it water tight. There are too many variables at once; the fwd edge, the aft edge, and the aft bow, and everything is moving around. It just takes lots of time and fiddling to get it right, and it requires lots of patience.

Sawing that canopy is also very difficult. I tried several fine saws, but it didn't really work well. Then I tried my Dremel with a cutting disk. This seems to kind of cut/melt the plastic, and works OK. It takes some time.

Yesterday we had visitors from Denmark. Bjarne and his wife were visiting Trondheim and came by to look at the Onex. He and several others are completing an Europa they have been building for 20 years. Now he is wondering about building a Onex on his own. They have a very nice web page here. Time will show if he decides on a Onex :-)

Canopy and things

Lots of bits and pieces. Made and mounted brackets for the tiedown hooks. Finished the windshield Airward kit (straps with anchor nuts on the side, and anchor nuts on the front strap). Finished up the "fine tuning" of the wing pin handle and securing mechanism. Started with the canopy which seems rather difficult stuff. Also had a visit from my inspector. I probably also need a third tie down hook for the aft fuselage.

  

Main lights

I wondered where to put the lights. On the tip, or on the inner wing. I ended up placing it on the inner left wing close to the hole. But, this is a tail dragger, and the light is really meant for nose gear... I had to make a bracket, so I can angle the light down about 7 degrees. I made that from wood. Then I made a plate of aluminium plate (a 1 inch by 2.5 mm rod  actually) to put on the inner side. Drilled hole for the screws and electric wire and threaded one of the hole to M4, so I can just screw it in place without a nut (maybe I will use a nut just to secure it). I will RTV the plate to the skin in the end. I also tried it, Ahh lights :-)

Gave the wooden block an additional cover of paint.