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RV-8 Windscreen Fairing

Champ

Well Known Member
I'm a daily follower of VAF and have learned a lot. This is my first crack at a post.

I made the windscreen fairing on my 8 removeable during construction and always intended to blind rivet & Sika it around the leading edge & Sika it over the roll bar. Also considering proseal or G/Flex in place of Sika dependant on a pull test I have yet to do.

Now that it is done and ready to attach I wonder if it would work to screw it to the fuselage using nutplates and attach it to the roll bar with the same screws ( longer) that attach the plexi - with caulk in between to make it water tight. This would make the windscreen relatively easy to remove.

A VAF search turned up a good thread on metal fairings and one FG fairing built as a separate part but did not show the final result.

Has anyone else done this? Is it safe? Does it look OK? - CS fasteners would show - pictures would be great. At this stage it is just as easy to screw it as glue it. Is it worthwhile having the windscreen removeable?
 
Interesting, why would you want the front windscreen removable? For maintenance or such? To fly without it? That would be whole lot of wind, I don't think I could hold my head straight. I have flown a lot of open cockpits but usually have some type of windscreen, however be it a small one. I have seen pics of rv4 without the canopy and just a windscreen, that was cool and I might want to do something like that one day with my 8. From a maintenance view, I don't see a lot of advantage to have it removable.

Bird
 
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windscreen attach

I would recommend Sikaflex. I would not recommend ProSeal. Not flexible enough. It needs to act as a thermal expansion joint and have some flexibility.
I don't know about the other product you mention.

I don't see any value in ease of removal, EXCEPT for repair after the incredibly bad luck of a bird strike.

Bird strikes are more common in some parts of the country than others. Out here, I will see gulls or ravens or a turkey vulture on short final once in a while, and very rarely the thermals are good enough that soaring birds are up at my altitudes. I have only had a few semi-close calls, and the birds seem to be pretty anxious to get out of the way.

So, I don't know, I think if I were doing it again, I would Sika it in place. Be sure and paint the skin above the instrument panel first, it is pretty hard to mask and prep in there. I finished off the interior junction with a 1/4" neoprene vacuum line hose, glued in with a few drops of C.A. glue. Gives a nice finished look from the inside.
 
I would SikaFlex the wind screen (at least that's what I did) all around. I would also not make the fairing removable. I placed 5 small bent .032 angles (about 3/4" each lip, so 1.5" total length) on the top skin and the plexi where they meet. One in the middle, and the other two to the left and right seven or so inches apart (can't quite remember). I used pop rivets to secure them to the top skin part and didn't use anything where it held down the plexi to the top skin. I did not pop rivet this until I SikaFlexed the windshield on (still wet). That way it kind of gave a mechanical attach point too. Probably not necessary.

Anyway, there are all kinds of ways to do it. Just pick which one makes the most sense to you. Make the fairing removable if you want. That Sika is bullet proof and awesome. Just don't let the Sika Flex guys know you're putting it on a plane if you have a question (ask me how I know).
 
Thanks for the replys. I used a small fillet of SikaFlex on the plexi to fuselage gap and then SikaFlexed the fairing on, as well as using pop rivets to the fuselage. I was skeptical of SikaFlex but found it to be great stuff. Also layed up a joggle on the canopy skirt to give a smooth transition to the windscreen fairing. Only a crack to indicate separation. I am pleased with the way it worked out. :D
 
Thanks for the replys. I used a small fillet of SikaFlex on the plexi to fuselage gap and then SikaFlexed the fairing on, as well as using pop rivets to the fuselage. I was skeptical of SikaFlex but found it to be great stuff. Also layed up a joggle on the canopy skirt to give a smooth transition to the windscreen fairing. Only a crack to indicate separation. I am pleased with the way it worked out. :D

Dennis, the picture you post must be hosted on the internet somewhere. Not your personal hard drive. I hope you get that sorted out because I would love to see what you've done.
 
Picture

I'm a newbie to posting. As soon as I figure out how to get pictures off my hard drive into a post I'll do it.
 
I'm a newbie to posting. As soon as I figure out how to get pictures off my hard drive into a post I'll do it.

If you use Firefox, you can right click the image, select "copy image location" and then paste that into the window that opens when you click the "insert image" icon.

The image must be hosted somewhere, not just on your computer.

I use Picassa to host my photos. Free download, Google it.

Good luck.
 
I just have to add my two cents. I am nearing completion of my RV8 and have been involved in ownership of several aircraft over the years. I have replaced the windscreen at least once in every one of them (4 total). I don't seen any down side to making it easier to remove and replace. I plan on making mine removable.
 
Thanks for the tips on posting pictures. Hope this works. Here are pictures of my 8 windscreen fairing & canopy.

Windscreen SikaFlexed & riveted to fuselage
0019_zpsbaea6cd9.jpg


Windscreen & Canopy
0016_zps6418468f.jpg


Canopy Latch/Lock
0026_zps1c78a1b3.jpg


Joggle in canopy to slide under windscreen fairing
0085_zpsd07420f9.jpg
 
Very nicely done!! Those are some tight seems. I wonder if the thickness of primer/paint will cause any issues.
 
I'm a daily follower of VAF and have learned a lot. This is my first crack at a post.

I made the windscreen fairing on my 8 removeable during construction and always intended to blind rivet & Sika it around the leading edge & Sika it over the roll bar. Also considering proseal or G/Flex in place of Sika dependant on a pull test I have yet to do.

Now that it is done and ready to attach I wonder if it would work to screw it to the fuselage using nutplates and attach it to the roll bar with the same screws ( longer) that attach the plexi - with caulk in between to make it water tight. This would make the windscreen relatively easy to remove.

A VAF search turned up a good thread on metal fairings and one FG fairing built as a separate part but did not show the final result.

Has anyone else done this? Is it safe? Does it look OK? - CS fasteners would show - pictures would be great. At this stage it is just as easy to screw it as glue it. Is it worthwhile having the windscreen removeable?

When I was purchasing my 8, I looked at two nice airplanes where the front windscreen was replaced, and the job of blending and matching the paint was less than optimal. Both owners/builders commented about the time and aggravation it took. The -8 I’m building will have a removable wind screen fairing.

Dennis, yours looks beautiful. I would love to see some photos of it completed with fasteners.

Below is a picture of Dane Sheahen’s. Dane sadly perished in a crash that is discussed elsewhere on VAF, but he did a beautiful job on the screen fairing.

Would love to hear from others that took this path with any “how to’s” or tips.

067-FECD1-3794-407-C-801-A-94-A4-CE28-A937.jpg
 
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Brian,

My windscreen fairing is pop riveted and sikaflexed to the fuselage. The pop rivets are countersunk and filled so they don't show at the surface. If I ever have to remove it I'd have to locate and drill out the pop rivets and pry it from the sikaflex.

Here are some pictures of the finished product.

Tinted the epoxy black for inside view.
Windscreen-10.jpg


Finished left side view
Windscreen-Lft.jpg
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Built up a "joggle" on the canopy skirt with the joggle going under the windscreen when closed
Canopy-Latch-Open.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
 
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Windshield trim

I Sikaflexed my windshield and plan to Sika the trim. If the windshield ever needs replacement, both will be removable by pulling a guitar string along the bond line. Most likely the new windshield will require a new trim.
I also fabricated the trim so the canopy skirt would slide under a joggle.
Photos on my blog.
 
Mine is removable in case it gets scratched or cracks or for any reason it needs to be replaced. It's a lot easier to remove than cutting fiberglass.



 
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