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I'm not particularly excited to cut a permanent slot in the canopy for the outside latch handle. Has anyone come up with a more elegant, lightweight solution to latching the canopy closed from the outside without cutting a slot in the canopy and having a tab hanging out?

I did. It may take me a while to find the pictures from when I made it but I used a ball bearing drawer slide from home depot to make a latch. It was cut and modified so that there was a 1/4" diameter pin that came out one side of the slide and the other side had L shaped legs that pushed or pulled on the canopy latch poking through below the longeron. To lock it I used a simple swing lever lock. The lock swings up to block the canopy latch from moving back and swings down to allow it to move and open. Send me your e-mail address and I'll see if I can get you some photos this weekend.

Keith
#554

Kevin, I have seen your post on your latch system on this forum. I appreciate your design, but am looking for something a bit simpler and lighter. I know the factory method is about as simple and light as it gets, but thought maybe someone has come up with something equally simple and light that doesn't involve cutting a slot in the canopy that will let rain in.

Can anyone post the regulations that require a locking canopy. I have been unable to find anything saying the canopy must be lockable.

Thanks.

Direct C51 wrote:Kevin, I have seen your post on your latch system on this forum. I appreciate your design, but am looking for something a bit simpler and lighter. I know the factory method is about as simple and light as it gets, but thought maybe someone has come up with something equally simple and light that doesn't involve cutting a slot in the canopy that will let rain in.

Can anyone post the regulations that require a locking canopy. I have been unable to find anything saying the canopy must be lockable.

Thanks.

There is no regulation to be lockable (at least not in the U.S.). Being able to lock our planes is more or less just a common sense addition. As for rain, the rest of the canopy leaks like a sieve, so the latch slot is the least of our problems. If I travel anywhere away from my home airport the canopy cover comes with me, even if I don't intend to leave the plane overnight. Because the time you forget it is the time you have a maintenance or weather issue and have to leave it outside.

Did that on mine, Have photos and drawing but canopy is bonded so may need to modify if bolting. If interested, PM me your direct e-mail as have not found way to attach anything to the PM messages.

David A. Sonex TD # 1327

Hi David,
Could you please send me photos and drawings of your canopy outside latch handle. I am looking for a solution to install two of them on my swing back canopy.
Renaud Guibert, Waiex 0161 e-mail: debruet@yahoo.com