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RV-7A Slider Canopy Side Skirt Question

ten4teg

Well Known Member
Drawing 41 shows a specific size the the C-660 Side Skirt. It also shows the front part notched out (more narrow at the front than the back) the width is 4 1/16 inch. However, I am in the process of drilling the side panel holes in the frame and notice that the skirt does not cover the roller track in the front and go down past the fuselage side skin. In the back, where it is not notched it covers the fuselage side skin about 1/2" the way the drawing shows. Is the Roller Track supposed to be exposed in the front? The pictures sure do not show this. Am I missing something here. What is the purpose of the narrower front? Do I need to make new panels? Thanks for the help.
 
The 4 1/16 measurement is aprox. Every canopy frame ends up different, some sitting higher, some lower. I layed up a fiberglass rear skirt, so I used the rear skirt sheet metal to make taller side skirts... I wanted mine taller to begin with so the rear edge would line up with my rear fuse top skin. (Stock skirt line will align with the rear top skin rivet line)



The front edge will look similar to this. (as you can see from the measurement written on the fuse, my frame sits much higher than the 4-1/16 given in the plans)



Notice right near the front edge the gap tapers and gets larger... this is due to the rear of the canopy lifting as it slides back. You'll have the side skirts off and on many times to get this front gap right... take your time.
 
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Canopy Side Skirts

What is the reason for the narrower part in the front? Can it not be the same width all the way across?
 
What is the reason for the narrower part in the front? Can it not be the same width all the way across?

If you mean the same "height" all the way across, it's because the fuse isn't the same width thru the length of the canopy. The widest point is where the side skirts stop extending down past the canopy rail. One of the reasons why the canopy side bows must match the curve of the fuselage.

As the canopy is pulled back, the taller section of the skirt (from the rear of the skirt to the widest part of the fuse) pulls away from the fuse sides. The short section of skirt is narrower then the fuse section behind it so it glides along the top of the canopy rail.
 
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