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cz4bldr

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Though I'm not even close to doing Chapter 18, I went ahead and ordered the canopy. Planned on ordering it when I got close, but the Air Force is moving me to England, so I went ahead and ordered all the big pre-fab stuff to keep me busy during my 3 year stint (got a 2-car garage lined up... oh yeah, it comes with a house).

 

I got a quote from Aircraft Plastics on the canopy and side windows--- Total price- $781 + shipping, with a 3-4 week lead time. Wasn't going to work, since my household goods pick-up date was in 3 weeks.

 

I decided to give Todd Silver a call over at Todd's Canopies. He gave me some background on his business, experience and quoted me a price of $425 for the tinted canopy and side windows. I explained my situation and he told me that he'd expedite my order, and I sent off a check. In less than two weeks, I had a canopy set!! Took it out of the crate and it looked perfect.

 

I just wanted to relay my thoughts on this alternate transparencies vendor. I am very pleased with the service and the product, plus, you can't beat the replacement guarantee. I recommend him without reservation, if you're in need of a canopy and windows.

 

Terry Winnett

MkIV # 792

Soon to be in England... bloody hell!

Terry Winnett, Capt, USAF

Cozy MkIV #792

RAF Lakenheath, U.K.

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Glad you liked your Todd's Canopy.

 

Todd's been a good friend of mine for four years and I've watched him build his canopy business from scratch. Now he does canopies for twenty or more different aircraft and ships them all over the world. A real sucess story.

 

Todd's web site is http://kgarden.com/todd and for those who notice the URL similarity - yes - I maintain it for him.

 

At the bottom of his web site he says: "I guarantee that if the canopy or any window cracks during installation, I will replace the part for free." Can't beat that!

 

Enjoy you're stay in the "Mother Land", Terry. There are a few Cozy builders over there too.

I can be reached on the "other" forum http://canardaviationforum.dmt.net

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Thanks, John, I think I'll enjoy jolly ol' England. I'll have to see about getting some pics up of my progress. I know Todd will want some pictures when I get my canopy mounted.

 

Terry

Terry Winnett, Capt, USAF

Cozy MkIV #792

RAF Lakenheath, U.K.

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Nathan,

Good to hear from you again. To make this post official, I just received my smoked canopy ; there. Don't have your email address. Brad didn't mention that you emailed, so I think it didn't make it. I'm doing a glassing party of my right wing on Saturday 23 Aug. I'm trying to get a cozy out here for rides. It'll be late morning. Email me and let me know teedubu-at-yahoo.com. Hope to see you there.

 

Terry

Terry Winnett, Capt, USAF

Cozy MkIV #792

RAF Lakenheath, U.K.

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  • 4 years later...

Ditto that!

I have the tinted canopy from Todd's as well.

I'm splitting it into a fore and aft canopy like the Berkut.

I figure if it's to dark for night operations, I'll make another forward canopy using the clear material but I don't really fly at night much.

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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When I took my canopy out of the crate after receiving it from Todd, I thought he had shipped me the wrong one. I had ordered the tint. It turned out after I held it up over my head that I could see a bit of tint. I held up the sample that Todd had sent me before ordering, and low and behold it was the same. My eyes had tricked me. From my experience upon openng the box and then holding it over my head that evening, I do not think it will have much effect on night flying. It is not anywhere near a typical "sunglass'" appearance, which some are concerned about with the term 'tint' being used. Inside the garage, the appearance seems darker. Not so.

Todd is great, and I highly have recommended him for several builders wanting canopies. He includes the rear windows with the sale for the MarkIV builders.

Self confessed Wingnut.

Now think about it...wouldn't you rather LIVE your life, rather than watch someone else's, on Reality T.V.?

Get up off that couch!!! =)

 

Progress; Fuselage on all three, with outside and inside nearly complete. 8 inch extended nose. FHC done. Canard finished. ERacer wings done with blended winglets. IO540 starting rebuild. Mounting Spar. Starting strake ribs.

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I'm blowing life in this old thread - as I was searching for tinted canopies. I have decided for a canopy from Todd's. Is there any good reason NOT to choose the tinted canopy vs. the clear?

 

Erlend Moen

Norway

i have the tinted todd

Steve M. Parkins

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  • 10 months later...

OK, I have the tinted Aircraft Plastics. When we ordered 2 canopies we got discount (30%IIRC) and we saved a heap on the sipping by sharing. (to South Africa)

 

Anyway, I seem to have a problem with the fitting of the canopy set-up as it is ...

 

The front lip of my canopy has lifted and does so even more during the flight.

 

It's proud by about 1/8" or more, but I can't measure during flight :)

 

And it was so perfect when it was just completed ...

 

How can one correct this?

 

At this time I'm looking at adding about that much material to the Instrument Panel ... the one that meets the canopy.

post-4196-141090167962_thumb.jpg

I live in my own little world! but its OK, they know me here!

Chris Van Hoof, Johannesburg, South Africa operate from FASY (Baragwanath)

Cozy Mk IV, ZU-CZZ, IO-360 (200hp) 70x80 prop

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I would take a fein tool and cut out a trough in the inside skin, probably in a elongated semi-circle midway between the canopy and front square edge. Dig out the foam in a cee shaped trough down to the fiberglass [that forms the canopy surround surface]. Then lay up some CF UNI lengthwise in that trough as thick as you want, but at least 8 plies, making sure to connect with the ''top'' surface skin. Fill the rest up to flush with flox and reskin the [inside] surface with 2 plies of BID, feathering the plies. Micro and sand this ''repair'' to finish.

Note that both the inside and outside skins will be connected rendering a ridgid structure.

Maybe overkill, but it wont raise up again, and it will be invisible, being internal.

My 2 bobs worth. =)

Self confessed Wingnut.

Now think about it...wouldn't you rather LIVE your life, rather than watch someone else's, on Reality T.V.?

Get up off that couch!!! =)

 

Progress; Fuselage on all three, with outside and inside nearly complete. 8 inch extended nose. FHC done. Canard finished. ERacer wings done with blended winglets. IO540 starting rebuild. Mounting Spar. Starting strake ribs.

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Will you still need me now that I am 64? I have a pair of transgression glasses that get too dark as I head into the sun and old age. I would now think twice about tinted wind screens. I also know not in all cases are our eyes the same. Ask your eye doctor they have a good ideal if your eyes are like mine.

 

I am sure they don't mind making second clear canopies.

 

Cheers, Sam:

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The Long-EZ has the same problem. The long canopy has a tendancy to 'banana' in much the same manner.

 

Two suggestions:

One would be to try and stiffen the structure of the canopy rails with carbon fiber tapes (not my first choice.

 

The second would be to make this suposed 'defect' into an attribute. Switch it to a front hinge canopy with the hold down latch at the back corners. With that arrangement your front alignment will be consistant and the 'banana' effect that occurs as it warms up will only result in a tighter seal. (my first choice.)

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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I think the difference is that I am addressing the starboard to port shape of the warp with a UNI lengthwise layup specifically. You are probably using BID overall and that would be different. Creating a channel of bundled UNI oriented in the proposed direction AND bonded to the top and bottom skin, I think would do the trick. But who knows?

 

As an aside, I also laid up my canopy inside and outside in CF BID, but I also laid CF UNI across the front from port to starboard during the orig construction, for just this historical reason. As well, I did a front hinging short canopy to the shoulders only. Hey, I hope it all stays in shape!!..we'll see.

Self confessed Wingnut.

Now think about it...wouldn't you rather LIVE your life, rather than watch someone else's, on Reality T.V.?

Get up off that couch!!! =)

 

Progress; Fuselage on all three, with outside and inside nearly complete. 8 inch extended nose. FHC done. Canard finished. ERacer wings done with blended winglets. IO540 starting rebuild. Mounting Spar. Starting strake ribs.

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When I think about it, it must be the plexiglass (or whatever) that causes some of the problem.

 

Not just the cold, but temperature changes in general.

 

Looking at my small windows in the opening part of the canopy, I can clearly see that they are now bowed much more than they were when the canopy was made.

 

great care was taken to make this part smooth and it used to fit superbly. Now it looks like I got it a a second hand spares place... :sad:

 

it has definitely become worse after doing the climb tests, but then you people in the very cold climates must suffer the same?

post-4196-141090167963_thumb.jpg

post-4196-141090167966_thumb.jpg

post-4196-141090167969_thumb.jpg

I live in my own little world! but its OK, they know me here!

Chris Van Hoof, Johannesburg, South Africa operate from FASY (Baragwanath)

Cozy Mk IV, ZU-CZZ, IO-360 (200hp) 70x80 prop

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