Fitting windshield

[Murray Parr]

Anyone out there fitted the B model windshield yet? I am having a hec of a time trying to get it to line up with the skirt. Any advice would be appreciated

Cheers

Murray WXB 0015

[jowens]

The sonex flight podcast mentioned fitting the windscreen on your work bench rather than on the airplane.

[Murray Parr]

Thanks Jim,

Is there any further info about it in that podcast? If so, where can I find the link?

That's the second time I have read that it should be done on the bench but the plans call for it to be done in the plane. Would be interesting to see if anyone has done it on the bench first and how well it fit back in the plane.

[sonex1374]

Murry,

You can find that discussion in Episode 42 "Flying the B-Model". Leroy Brandt mentioned that he fit the skirt on the plane and it did not work. He had to make a custom skirt. He said the factory guys told him to fit it flat on the bench, and that if he did it over he would have done it that way.

http://www.sonexflight.com/42

Jeff

[n307tw]

Murray,

How did you mount the glareshield, is there an easier way? I’m having a dickens of a time trying to get underneath to drill the glareshield into the longerons. There is literally no room for the drill by the rudder pedal brackets. Any suggestions you have is appreciated.

-Tim


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[Murray Parr]

Tim,

Do you have the rudder pedals installed? I had no problems with drilling the glare shield to the longerons, however, I had the fire wall off, and used a tight fit angled drill. If you don't have access to one of those, you could try using a long drill bit and use the bit of flex in the bit to help drill the hole square. I won't be riveting the fire wall on until I am finished most of that area under the glare shield. Take the rudder pedals out would help too

Hope this helps

Murray

[Murray Parr]

Jeff,

Thanks for that.
Kerry from Sonex Tech support suggested I use towels between the glare shield and windshield to push the wind shield up into position for drilling. I have also been in contact with Leroy and got a few pointers from him also. I am going to try a combination of both methods as I am concerned if I drill it flat on the bench the holes will be in the wrong radius when I bend it all into position. My thinking is, start on a flat bench and drill around the fuel cap opening and 3 holes either side before the windshield starts to curve more. This should at least get the windshield into the correct forward/aft/centered position before drilling the rest of it in place. If I still can't push it into position I will have to remove it again and drill more around the curve. I will let you all know after next weekend how this goes. If anybody else has fitted one some more feedback would still be of great help.

Murray

[n307tw]

Thanks for the tip Murray. I unfortunately have the floor riveted and the firewall is riveted in place along with the Aerovee turbo hanging off the front. So I guess there is no real good way to get this glare-shield drilled and cleco’d in place without contouring my body and getting in there. Guess I took the plans a wee bit too literally going by the book. If I have to take the rudder plates and pedals out I will but I was trying not to disconnect anything but I’ll try the tight drill first and I was thinking maybe cutting down the drill bits as well to get in there. Thanks again.

-Tim


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[Lbrandt]

Tim,

Do you have the rudder pedals installed? I had no problems with drilling the glare shield to the longerons, however, I had the fire wall off, and used a tight fit angled drill. If you don't have access to one of those, you could try using a long drill bit and use the bit of flex in the bit to help drill the hole square. I won't be riveting the fire wall on until I am finished most of that area under the glare shield. Take the rudder pedals out would help too

Hope this helps

Murray

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lbrandt]

Tim,

Do you have the rudder pedals installed? I had no problems with drilling the glare shield to the longerons, however, I had the fire wall off, and used a tight fit angled drill. If you don't have access to one of those, you could try using a long drill bit and use the bit of flex in the bit to help drill the hole square. I won't be riveting the fire wall on until I am finished most of that area under the glare shield. Take the rudder pedals out would help too

Hope this helps

Murray

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk