My second canopy is really a bit wide. 1.2″ too much at the thickest point beyond the specs sent to the maker. To be fair he was pretty close. I went back to the canopy guy but I’m pretty much stuck with this one. I’m not going to pay for another canopy and perhaps that wouldn’t be as good as this one.  I’m not going to be able to make it perfect at the sides as I planned, it is going to bulge out a little. That’s any chance of a Concours d’Elegance at an airshow out the window. <sigh> Good thing too as there is only so much time I can spend of finishing work anyway. I’ll go for a ‘good’ finish but I want to go flying not polishing!

Today I made two cuts to the bottom edge of the canopy. The cutting itself takes about ten minutes the rest of the time ensuring its in the right place. I took two inches off the bottom after a lot of thought. Then I checked everything and took a 1/4″ wedge further from the rear up to 15″ from the canopy front. I’ve used a dremel with a special plastic 2.5″ diameter cut off wheel (EZ476 cutting wheel with the EZ402 holder). I broke that nearly at the end of the first cut and tried the same size metal cutting disc (EZ476). There was hardly any difference. They both did a good job.

For the second 1/4″ to zero cut I measured the 1/4″ at the rear and checked it both sides with a center point marked on the top of the canopy using a bit of paper as the measuring device. Then I taped a bit of cotton to the side where I wanted to make the cut. I stretched it to the 15″ front mark making that zero and so had my wedge. I then used the paper and the center marks on the top of the canopy to ensure the cotton was the same length from the middle on both sides. When I was happy I taped the cotton down with clear tape and that was my cut line. It is probably a strange way to do it but it worked.

The angle to the firewall is pretty good now. I can’t fix the width problem but it won’t be too bad except quite a challenge to set up a frame.  I have a full 2 inches above the plans canopy height minimum at the pilots head. This is going to make a huge difference to side vision as well as over the nose.

Here’s the canopy showing you how it overlaps at the sides. I’ll force it in a little at the canopy rail and try to widen that as well. I may even try to augment the sides fractionally. Who knows at this stage?

Here the rear to the firewall. That gap is about 12″ and the plans say 8″. I have my canopy well forward so it will be a slightly enlarged area here.

Here’s a good look side on. The profile is what I always wanted. The highest part right where the pilots head is. I could go back 2 to 4 inches here still with the high point at the maximum and may do so.  That will improve the passenger side vision while not effecting mine. You have to love the design process when its ‘on the fly’. If I go back I will have more room for fresh air vent/s to the pilot at the sides. It just might happen.