RV-7 N890GF

Now that the aft-fuse skin is riveted in place (mostly) I decided to continue trimming the rear window for final fitting. I Spent quite a while trying to make the leading edge of the window as straight as possible, and also aligned with the canopy. This was an iterative process, but adding a 1/8″ gapping tool to the roll bar helped to ensure consistent gap. The plans call for 1/32″ but that is just wayyy too small of a gap. Part of the reason I decided to go with the Sikaflex method of attachment rather than screws is to account for thermal expansion between the metal and plexi without damaging the plexi, however a 1/32″ gap is so small that any thermal expansion will lock the two together.

I spent most of the time trimming the aft section of the rear window to fit under the skin as well as ensuring enough overlap under the skin for the Sikaflex. Once I had a decent fit and the appropriate clearances between the canopy and rear window, I removed the window and began prepping the aluminum surfaces and masking the edges.

Lastly, I have been annoyed by the canopy latch fingers and how much force is needed to un-latch the canopy. I spent some time sanding and modifying the latch fingers to try and get a better fit. It’s an iterative process.