Cockpit Canopy - Composite-ARF SPARK Instruction Manual

Composite-ARF SPARK

Cockpit Canopy

The fibreglass canopy frame has already been trimmed at
the factory, and the fixings completed. The front is secured
with a wire through a plastic tube from the nose, the upper
back end with a small plywood tongue, and the sides are
aligned with 2 small phenolic tabs into slots in the cockpit
flange. You can add another pair of very small tabs at the
lower back corners, using the phenolic strip included, if you
wish. Cut the 2mm wire to length, sand it smooth, and sol-
der the brass ball from the plastic ball-link (in the hardware)
onto the end of the wire. Mill a small countersink in the nose
for the ball to sit in. This method makes it quick and easy to
get the canopy off, and does not require any tools on the
field.
Fitting the clear canopy is quite simple, as it is small and
rigid. However the fibreglass
canopy frame is extremely
lightweight, and you need to
be careful not to deform it
when gluing in the canopy. You
can use your own favourite
method and glue if you wish,
but here is how we do it.
Sand the inside edges of the
canopy frame carefully with
120 grit sandpaper, especially
the fibreglass joining tapes, to
ensure a perfect fit of the
canopy and a good gluing sur-
face. Fit the canopy frame on
the fuselage and secure it with
the wire, and masking tape all around. Trim the clear canopy very roughly to size so that it is big-
ger than the edges of the cutout in the canopy frame all around. There is a faint 'cut line' mold-
ed into the clear canopies to guide you, but you definitely need to cut at least 6mm outside that
line to begin with.
Lay the canopy on top of the frame, and view from the front and back to check that it is centred.
Trim as necessary. When the canopy fits inside the frame, tape it into position temporarily, check
alignment, and then accurately mark the edge of the frame on the canopy with a wax crayon.
Remove the canopy and trim exactly to shape, leaving only a 6mm overlap outside the line.
Unless you are in a warm room, we recommend that the canopy is slightly warmed up with a hair
dryer to prevent cracking - but be careful not to melt or deform it!
With the canopy frame still secured to the fuselage, tack the canopy into position with a couple
of very small drops of 'odourless' CA, at the back and front lower corners. Make some 'handles'
from strong tape (see photo) to allow you to 'pull' the canopy in position while you do this. Apply
the glue to the inside of the fibreglass canopy frame (not the clear canopy) and then use the tape
'handles' to pull the canopy out against the frame into the correct position.
(below) Tape handles on the canopy are used to pull it into
place while tack gluing in 6 places with odourless CA.
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