SonexBuilders.net

How difficult would it be to change the canopy so that you entered from the right side of the aircraft to make it easier for passengers to get in on a legacy Sonex? In the canopy drawings the hook angle SNX-D02-14 looks like the only thing that's not symmetric. I didn't look over the fuselage drawings closely but I could see there being some changes there too. And the wing doublers would have to be reversed. Has this been done before or would there be any reason this wouldn't work?

I think you could absolutely mirror this. The downside is the passenger is going to be responsible for/have access to the canopy locking. It's really not that hard to get passengers to scoot over to the right side, assuming they are able bodied enough to get in a Sonex. I got my 87 year old father in both sides.

I often fly from the right, dual because Adam prefers the left seat and solo because I can fly aerobatics right handed. When I take passengers I put them in the right to get them away from the canopy lock plus the engine start stuff is on the left side.

If you incorporate the swing back canopy design you can get in from either side. Plans for the swing back canopy were once sold by the American sonex association (ASA) but I think they are no longer around. You might find someone on here with one of their CDs the plans were provided on. If not, there are a number of builders with websites and build logs showing how it works that you could figure out the geometry or get measurements from.

Keith
#554

What Keith says is true, but I'll point out you are adding weight. You don't have a lot of weight to play with especially if you have an Aerovee. Just go into your decision informed. You don't want an airplane that is great to enter from either side but too heavy to take a passenger.

kmacht wrote:If you incorporate the swing back canopy design you can get in from either side. Plans for the swing back canopy were once sold by the American sonex association (ASA) but I think they are no longer around. You might find someone on here with one of their CDs the plans were provided on. If not, there are a number of builders with websites and build logs showing how it works that you could figure out the geometry or get measurements from.

Keith
#554

Hi Keith,

Do you have, can you direct me to, photos of this canopy swing back alternative?

I am planning on modifying mine to swing back. I am probably going to do it very soon. I have a b-model, so my longerons are parallel and I may be able to do this a little differently. I will post how I do it when I get it done.

Do not forget that the top surface of the wing is double thickness with an added 0.032" sheet where one stands on it when entering from the left side. This will need to be added to the right side as well if entering from there.

David A.

Skippydiesel wrote:
Hi Keith,

Do you have, can you direct me to, photos of this canopy swing back alternative?

Ryan Roth's builders log has some good photos. You may also want to reach out to him as he had digital copies of the swingback plans loaded to a filesharing site at one point in the past after the ASA stopped offering them.

http://www.rynoth.com/wordpress/waiex/2 ... ompletion/


Keith
#554

If you do a swing back canopy don't be like Mike:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSo7DYAZLo

If you haven't viewed this, it is very telling and took a lot of humility for Mike to post this. I'm thankful that he did as there's a lesson or two in this ...

Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel

The safest canopy opening system must surely be forward - a failed to be latched canopy, would be held in position by air pressure.

Anyone have/know of a forward opening canopy design??