Return-Path: Received: from mail.cruzio.com ([208.226.92.37]) by truman.olsusa.com (Post.Office MTA v3.1.2 release (PO203-101c) ID# 0-44819U2500L250S0) with ESMTP id AAA5645 for ; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 02:22:18 -0400 Received: from testelectronics.mail (sa-207-251-8-159.cruzio.com [207.251.8.159]) by mail.cruzio.com with SMTP id XAA00386 for ; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 23:22:12 -0700 (PDT) Received: from main [192.168.1.1] by testelectronics.mail [192.168.1.1] with SMTP (MDaemon.v2.5.rB.b2.32-R) for ; Mon, 14 Sep 98 23:04:36 -0700 Received: by localhost with Microsoft MAPI; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 23:04:35 -0700 Message-ID: <01BDE034.0AA13460.ed@testelectronics.com> From: Ed Armstrong Reply-To: "ed@testelectronics.com" To: "Lancair [Lancair.List@Olsusa.Com] (E-mail)" Subject: Canopy type descision Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 23:04:34 -0700 Return-Receipt-To: Ed Armstrong Organization: Test Electronics X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet E-mail/MAPI - 8.0.0.4211 X-MDMail-Server: MDaemon v2.5 rB b2 32-R X-MDaemon-Deliver-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com X-Mailing-List: lancair.list@olsusa.com Mime-Version: 1.0 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> << Lancair Builders' Mail List >> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> The reasons I choose the hinged canopy design for my L360. 1. When I did my test ride with Orin from Lancair, he had this type of canopy and it seemed like it gave more room entering and exiting the plane. 2. You can leave the canopy cracked open when taxiing around to get a nice cool breeze 3. It gives about 1" more shoulder room inside the cockpit. You can cut out about 1/2" of the reinforcement out of the sides of the canopy reinforcement and make it flush with the longeron. You have to keep that reinforcement in with the old design. 4. I am not sure of this, but I think the hinged canopy design would be easier to bail out of if I ever accidentally pulled too many G's or if I didn't glue something together properly. I plan to do aerobatics. 5. A crazy idea I have that I haven't really thought through yet, I am not at this point in building now, I thought it might really be fun to make a convertible. Make the canopy swappable, make it so you can take off the canopy and put a little motorcycle windshield on it. Or maybe buy another canopy and cut it in half. I think the forward hinged design would be the better platform to start this with. Hope this helps Regards, Ed Watsonville CA.