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Canopy Covers?

Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
Now that I am out of Phase 1, I am looking forward to doing some traveling with the -8. Most of the time, it will live snug in the hangar at home base, and if I go someplace where it needs to sit a few days, I will try to find a hangar, but there will be occasional overnights where she needs to sit on a ramp. For this, I'd like to have a canopy cover - one that is light enough to travel with, but will do a good job of keeping weather (and prying eyes) out while not even having a prayer of scratching the canopy.

OK, so what have folks found - good suppliers, bad suppliers... recomendations (and warnings) are welcome! I took a quick look at Van's catalog, and they have a lightweight and a normal weight cover - how about those?

Looking forward to some help,

Paul
 
I have the lightweight cover. Takes up almost no space so I keep it in the baggage compartment all the time. Some people keep one on even in the hangar, keeps the dust and bird crap off the canopy. I don't remember which brand I bought, but it's the one where the maker has both the lightweight and heavy one. I never saw the need for the heavy one.

Jeff
 
Van's cover

FWIW, I have been using Van's lightweight canopy cover on my RV-7, and I like it. It is waterproof -- my plane has sat out in heavy rain for days at a time, several times, and the cover has kept the water out of the plane. I've used this cover on all of my x-country trips. As we speak, my -7 is sitting out on the ramp at Livermore, CA in the rain...canopy cover is doing its job.

I use it in the summer to keep the sun out and to hide my "valuables" inside the plane. Yes, anybody could just remove it, but it's a deterrent.

It's very light, easy to shake the dew or rain off when you roll it up to stow it. It stows fairly compact. It fits well, and the price was reasonable.

Just my 2 cents. I know there are other options, and I assume they're all pretty darn good.

Canopy Covers on Van's Store

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D (747 hours)
http://www.rvproject.com
 
Thanks Dan and Jeff!

Any worries at all in your mind about the cover causing canopy scratches? Back in my Grumman days, certain covers were suspected of casuing microscratches, while others didn't.

I'm still nervous enough about my new baby that I don't even want bugs walking on it in the hangar!

Paul
 
Scratches

Ironflight said:
Thanks Dan and Jeff!

Any worries at all in your mind about the cover causing canopy scratches? Back in my Grumman days, certain covers were suspected of casuing microscratches, while others didn't.

I'm still nervous enough about my new baby that I don't even want bugs walking on it in the hangar!

Paul
Click to expand...
Paul,
I have the lightweight cover and like it. However, it did scuff the windscreen after being left on for several days in stiff breeze. Never took the time to really polish the scuffs, just the usual plexipolish to clean bugs off. That Plexus stuff seemed to gradually polish away the scuffs(probably any plexi cleaner/polish will do the same). The scuffs are no longer visible, but they were for a good 6 months.

Put it on to keep the rain off, but think carefully about whether to use it when it is windy.
 
Scratches

If it's really windy out, but not raining, I usually don't bother using the cover. An example that comes to mind was an overnight outside at Boulder City, NV recently. I opt to leave the canopy cover off in that scenario. I figure it would be doing more harm if it's flapping and chafing around.

That said, I don't believe it does all that much scratching. As long as it's tight, it shouldn't move around much.

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D
http://www.rvproject.com
 
Canopy Cover

Paul,
You can't beat Bruce Custom Covers for quality. Won't scratch your canopy. Not cheap, but I stopped counting the money long before I got to a canopy cover :D They also make cowl plugs. the first cowl plugs for my 7 where too small. I sent Bruce measurements and he replaced them, no problem. He is very good to work with.

Bruce Custom Covers
Sunnyvale, CA.
Ph. 408-738-3959
aircraftcovers.com

Hope that helps,
 
If the plexi is clean before you put the cover on, it will not scratch. What scratches is the dirt that is trapped between the plexi and the cover.
 
Thanks!

I think I see a late Christmas present to myself in the near future....

Paul
 
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Need Recommendation For a Canopy Cover RV-8

We need a recommendation for a canopy cover for our RV-8.

What do you use/recommend?

Bruce's has an Oshkosh special that I'm thinking of taking advantage of.
 
Chkaharyer99 said:
We need a recommendation for a canopy cover for our RV-8.

What do you use/recommend?

Bruce's has an Oshkosh special that I'm thinking of taking advantage of.
Click to expand...

Take the special you won't regret it. I am parked under the elements and still on my first cover :)
 
Vlad said:
Take the special you won't regret it. I am parked under the elements and still on my first cover :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Vlad. I know you keep yours out in some pretty harsh WX. That's a good testimony to the quality. I will order one today.
 
not entirely true!

osxuser said:
If the plexi is clean before you put the cover on, it will not scratch. What scratches is the dirt that is trapped between the plexi and the cover.
Click to expand...

sorry Stephen, when I remove my cover, there are strange wispy patches of dust/grime/silt whatever you want to call it.
the wind pressure against one side of the fuselage lifts the heavy Bruce's cover slightly, the airflow slows and the static charge on the plexi provide the perfect conditions to deposit this stuff on the 'glas.
Granted, it doesn't really scratch unless you move it around!

careful cover removal, flushing or dusting off, then cleaning is often required ( an I don't park in a desert dry lake or anything).
I also have the light Van's cover, it's rarely on long enough to really catch much dirt. ....works as a sun and rain shield for sure.
If you're worried about the wind flapping the cover, you might need to add more elastic and/or additional straps.

my $.02
 
I have the cover from Bruces, and will leave the aircraft out for extended periods with it if I have to. It does protect the glass, but is somewhat bulky. When I stop for my $100 hamburger in the summer, I like to cover the canopy to help keep the sun and eyes out. It it a bit bulky for that if that was all I used it for.
 
My order with Bruce's was placed for the heavier more expensive canopy cover.

They sent me an email asking me to identify my antenna locations on a worksheet.

Before I proceed I thought I should asked a few more questions so as to make a more informed decision.

I hangar my RV-8, and will use my cover occasionally when I leave home and can't find a hangar. In those cases I expect I may leave it outside for as long as two weeks. Based on the above, what's your opinion on canopy covers?

Bruce's lightweight or regular? Or something else.

I appreciate all of sharing your experience.
 
I used the lightweight cover on my -8A

When temporarily parked outside for a couple of weeks at a time ---- seemed to work well. I believe if I had to be on permanent tiedown, I would have the heavy cover.

To address the "scratching" issue. I had a new Grumman Tiger, in 1978. We had to tie down on the ramp (KHTS), in WV. During the winter, the ramp was sanded for skid control. The wind eventually worked sand under the heavy cover and ruined the windscreen and the side windows.

R.
 
Bruce's Covers Oshkosh Discount

Just ordered some intake covers from Bruce. He's still offering the 10% Oshkosh discount. Coupon code - oshkosh2015.
 
RVDan said:
I have the cover from Bruces, and will leave the aircraft out for extended periods with it if I have to. It does protect the glass, but is somewhat bulky. When I stop for my $100 hamburger in the summer, I like to cover the canopy to help keep the sun and eyes out. It it a bit bulky for that if that was all I used it for.
Click to expand...

RVDan,

Thanks for the response.

Do you have the Regular Bruce's cover or the lightweight cover?

I would like to avoid the bulky issue you describe.

Thanks
 
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