Need to replace Sonex windscreen in near future.

[bakfly]

Hi all,

A while ago I spilt aviation fuel over the front edge of my Windscreen. I would like to replace it one day (it is not urgent). I have been looking for Lexan material in Australia, but I have not found any yet. Getting it from Sonex cost a fortune on shipping.
Can somebody give my the exact material code for the Lexan and colour. Maybe some builder still have the protected cover with the material code on it. If I can't get it in Australia I might be able to buy a sheet or halve sheet in Holland (Lexan is also made in Holland) on my next Family visit this year and bring it back with me to Australia.

Thanks

Peter Bakker
Sonex 19-8464, Aerovee 2.1
South Australia

[ccm]

You are looking for 3mm thick bronze tint polycarbonate sheet (as it says on the plans.) Lexan is a brand name for polycarbonate.

[Brett]

I have replaced the poly carb on my doors of my current plane b4 due to a fuel spill. The local plastic shop has always had it in stock. The material was also 3mm but was a clear version. In Geraldton W.A the shop was called Vortex plastics.

[jaywa]

Peter

I replaced the another Sonex's windscreen located here ( Bunbury WA , OZ ) due to impact breakage during the building stage with locally available clear polycarbonate sheet ( but clear ) ; they will have to do it again because of mogas crazing!

Try your local industrial plastics supply shop

[tonyr]

Peter,

Google "makrolon polycarbonate 3mm sheet" bronze tint (rare as rocking horse poo in Aust.) Grey tint or clear seems all that's available now
I havent been able to find the emails from when I managed to source a sheet some 6 years ago so can't dig out the supplier I got in from.. they were in Melbourne

Cheers
Tony

PS There are also different types of flat sheet.. UV has an ultraviolet resistant coating. GP is General Purpose.. I ended up with UV which probably cost more as I said it was for an outdoor project. silly me.

[bakfly]

Thank you all for your useful reply, I still looking for an supplier in Australia. If I am not able to get it Locally, I will take some Lexan back from Holland on my next family visit. It is widely used over there.

Cheers

Peter
Sonex #1430
First Flight 9 October 2014
33hrs in the Air.

[rizzz]

I managed to spill (quite a bit of) fuel on the windscreen a few weeks ago, we all know what happens after that. Within 30 seconds I had spider cracks coming from all of the affected bolt holes and edges...

In the meantime I replaced the windscreen with a grey-tinted polycarbonate sheet as the bronze tint seems to be impossible to find here in Australia.
It will do for now but I find it to be too dark and would like to go back to a bronze tint at some stage.

Have any Australian builders out there managed to find a local source for the bronze tinted sheet or would anybody have a spare windscreen lying around they'd be willing to sell?

[peter anson]

Hi Peter, I would guess that getting clear polycarbonate sheet in Adelaide would be no problem and that's probably not a bad option. In Vic I have bought clear polycarbonate from EPlas http://www.eplas.com.au/ and my guess is that some sort of tint would be available. In Sydney, http://www.allplastics.com.au/ advertise clear and tinted polycarbonate sheet.

Peter Anson

[Brett]

So just digging this old thread up,

I did what I always hoped I wouldn't. I spilt fuel on the windscreen.

Did anyone in Australia end up finding a source of the Bronze polycarbonate?

Mines not too bad now but I'm sure it will grow worse overnight.

[WaiexN143NM]

hi all,
sorry to hear about your misfortune. good luck finding a bronze tint. i think is good to keep the front piece lexan for bird strikes. do they have a home improvement store like home depot in oz land?

i always carried a towel. all of the posters on this subject got me worried, i think something non absorbant and cant blow around in the wind. im thinking now a thin piece of rubber that can be rolled up and stored in back baggage area.
maybe some of you have a better idea.

WaiexN143NM
Michael