Today I installed the canopy guide pins, which are designed to stop the canopy from expanding at higher airspeeds (something that apparently happened on the demo aircraft).
I started by installing the pins on the canopy. Then, with help from mum and dad, we wheeled the plane outside and were able to install the canopy. From there, the pin position is marked on the canopy rail, holes are drilled, and a plate is riveted onto three top of the canopy rail.
It was unexpectedly difficult to fit the canopy onto the aircraft. The last time I did this, I did it by myself without trouble. But that was when the fuselage was on a rotisserie, and before I installed the remote canopy release. With the aircraft on wheels, the canopy has to be lifted higher off the ground, and because it’s a tail dragger, the angle is a little different. What really got annoying was that, unbeknownst to me, the remote canopy release handle kept rotating and catching on the edge of the bracket. I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t get the hinge pins to insert, and assumed an alignment issue, but in actual fact the release handle was just getting caught and stopping the pins from being inserted. Luckily we had enough hands from people helping to figure it out.
I borrowed some playdough from the kid’s stash and marked the point where the pins contacted the rail. Then, following the instructions, used the paper template to locate the rivet holes, drilled everything, and riveted the plates into position.
When it came to time to test everything, the next unexpected issue occurred. I hadn’t installed the canopy since installing the seals, and consequently, the canopy wouldn’t close. After carefully checking that we didn’t have any other interference issue, I used some clamps around the roll-bar to compress the seals, until the locking pins could be driven home. Leaving the canopy closed for a few hours and sitting in the warm sun seemed to help the situation, and later in the day the canopy could be opened and closed fairly easily.
The canopy handle is quite flimsy, and if I was doing this again, I’d look seriously at switching to one of the 3rd party handles that are much more solid.
