From: Sky2high@aol.com
Message-ID: <8dff91bf.35ff3eb1@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 00:29:37 EDT
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Subject: Canopy Style Decision
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Forward hinged canopy:
Pros:
1. Looks slick.
2. Lancair optional latch system allows for inside and outside handle and
lock.
3. Rear latching fingers and forward hinge make a very secure hold-down system
    with only one operation.
4. Ingress and egress are made easy by large opening when canopy is upright.
5. Resting canopy on top of closed latches provides for air circulation during
taxiing.

Cons:
1. Expect several hundred more construction hours to properly make and fit
this
    type of canopy.  (See Fwd Hinge canopy construction considerations).
2. When open, the canopy is similar to a spinnaker. Be careful of gusty
quartering
   tail winds.  If it is installed the standard way, with the hinges attached
to the
   header tank, be concerned about the forces that can be applied to the
header
   tank seams.
3. With the canopy open and the sun behind the plane, be aware that the
Plexiglas
   acts as a focusing concave reflector and may burn the glare shield or start
a fire
   (depending on the covering material).

Parallel Arm Canopy
Pros:
1.  Quicker and cheaper to build and non of the "cons" mentioned for hinged
canopy.

Cons:
1. Small entry/exit opening.
2. If open during taxiing, possible prop blast coming underneath.
3. Inelegant 4-latch system to hold it down requiring 4-step close/open
procedure.
4. Access to panel avionics under glare shield is hindered by open canopy.
5. Lacks external handle to latch/unlatch canopy.
6. Center of canopy rollover area may lift off fuselage because latches are
not
   located in the best places.

I hope this provides some guidance in choosing a canopy type.

Scott Krueger
N92EX