Van's Air Force
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RV-6A water on floor
- Thread starter AlaskaRV
- Start date
Jim tipup usually leaks in the front. Canopy covers are water repellent but not waterproof. There is a nice mod by some of our gurus how to make a fiberglass lip and minimize leaking. It's somewhere in the archives here on VAF. I am parked in the open and I usually tape all the seams around my tipup if I know rain is coming. Then I put my canopy cover on. I am using cheap elecrtic tape from HF it takes two minutes.
terrykohler
Well Known Member
Two Most Likely Places
First, the front seam of the tip-up. Mine actually seems to do a much better job of keeping water out when it's moving thru the air rather than sitting on the ground. Solution is to tape the seam (painter's tape will work) just before you put the cover on.
Second place is the back edge of the bubble. Even if you've sealed the edges, you're likely channeling water to the bottom of the bow - it's going to get in somewhere. Again, tape it.
The Bruce covers are great, but they're not completely waterproof. Even gore-tex leaks if the water is left to stand on it. Just like foul weather gear for sailing, the only thing completely waterproof is rubber; but it's usually to hot or too heavy.
Finally, don't forget the NACA vents. I'm usually rewarded once a year with an in-cockpit spray shower if the plane is sitting out in the rain and I've forgotten to cover the vents.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
First, the front seam of the tip-up. Mine actually seems to do a much better job of keeping water out when it's moving thru the air rather than sitting on the ground. Solution is to tape the seam (painter's tape will work) just before you put the cover on.
Second place is the back edge of the bubble. Even if you've sealed the edges, you're likely channeling water to the bottom of the bow - it's going to get in somewhere. Again, tape it.
The Bruce covers are great, but they're not completely waterproof. Even gore-tex leaks if the water is left to stand on it. Just like foul weather gear for sailing, the only thing completely waterproof is rubber; but it's usually to hot or too heavy.
Finally, don't forget the NACA vents. I'm usually rewarded once a year with an in-cockpit spray shower if the plane is sitting out in the rain and I've forgotten to cover the vents.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
Canopy Leak
Jim, My 6A lives on the ramp in Baton Rouge. I use a Bruce cover over the canopy and put a 6x9 blue tarp over the canopy cover. This keeps the water out as long as you buy a new tarp every few months. It also keeps water from getting into the engine cowling where the cowling attaches to the fuselage and around the oil door. The tarp is a bit of a pain to deal with on a windy day, but worth it. John
Jim, My 6A lives on the ramp in Baton Rouge. I use a Bruce cover over the canopy and put a 6x9 blue tarp over the canopy cover. This keeps the water out as long as you buy a new tarp every few months. It also keeps water from getting into the engine cowling where the cowling attaches to the fuselage and around the oil door. The tarp is a bit of a pain to deal with on a windy day, but worth it. John
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billnaz
Well Known Member
Empennage water
Last year at OSH, it rained like crazy one night, and I thought I was "covered" with tape on the seams, a plastic sheet and the canopy cover. The cabin did stay dry, but when I pulled the plane onto the lane from its camp site it was a little tail low and began to drain water from the aft end. I didn't measure the volume, but it had to be a gallon or more. I'm guessing the water seeped in around the tail fairing. Scary to think what that would have done to CG, especially if it was cold and the water froze in place.
Last year at OSH, it rained like crazy one night, and I thought I was "covered" with tape on the seams, a plastic sheet and the canopy cover. The cabin did stay dry, but when I pulled the plane onto the lane from its camp site it was a little tail low and began to drain water from the aft end. I didn't measure the volume, but it had to be a gallon or more. I'm guessing the water seeped in around the tail fairing. Scary to think what that would have done to CG, especially if it was cold and the water froze in place.
