Are bubble canopies hot?

[Markproa]

I'm about to embark on a homebuilt low wing aircraft build. At the risk of starting a 'high wing/low wing is the best' debate I'd like to hear from people who fly low wing bubble canopy aircraft in Australia. My aircraft is a French design with a one piece, front hinged bubble canopy and I'd like to know how hot it gets in the cockpit and what are some of the solutions against this eg shades, lots of air etc. There are many bubble-canopied planes and gliders in Australia so I'm thinking it can't be that bad.

 

Mark

 

 

[facthunter]

It is "that" bad. Especially in the hot parts and the middle of the day.. nev

 

 

[SSCBD]

It is "that" bad. Especially in the hot parts and the middle of the day.. nev

YEP

 

 

[Camel]

I had a Sportstar and was very hot in sun ! Had shade and it helped a little ! Best canopy is a sliding one so air can come in during taxying! I agree with Nev ‘ it is that bad ‘

 

 

[facthunter]

FIX by good directable air vents and reflective shade blind .If the canopy is low height this isn't easy unless the shade is moulded to follow the canopy. contours. Complex and you lose visibility. This is probably not what you wanted to hear. Nev

 

 

[alf jessup]

I have a Tecnam Sierra which is a low wing sliding canopy, I average over 100 hours a year in it and don’t have much problem with heat as the vents are pretty good unless like this morning, 22 deg on the ground and 31 deg at 3500ft

 

A hat is a must in a bubble canopy low wing and may even be worth getting a couple of those suction cup fold up visors you get for kids side windows, I have been saying for about 5 years that I should get a couple but still haven’t got around to it

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

... and may even be worth getting a couple of those suction cup fold up visors you get for kids side windows, I have been saying for about 5 years that I should get a couple but still haven’t got around to it

Don't bother, a friend of mine has a CH601 and didn't like how hot it was so he bought a set of those and lost them on the first flight. After replacing them THREE times he's now given up, it seems the suction cups aren't strong enough to withstand the prop-blast.

 

 

[kgwilson]

I painted the top of my bubble canopy & that means I don't have to wear a hat & with 2 good NACA vents with directional nozzles I don't reckon its any hotter than a high wing Jabiru.

 

 

 

[alf jessup]

Don't bother, a friend of mine has a CH601 and didn't like how hot it was so he bought a set of those and lost them on the first flight. After replacing them THREE times he's now given up, it seems the suction cups aren't strong enough to withstand the prop-blast.

Lol

Maybe your mate should have tried the inside of the canopy, at least he lost the shades and not a wing on the 601..... wink wink

 

 

[frank marriott]

I have a Tecnam Sierra which is a low wing sliding canopy, I average over 100 hours a year in it and don’t have much problem with heat as the vents are pretty good unless like this morning, 22 deg on the ground

Have you had it up to NW Queensland where 22° on the ground are winter temps?

 

 

[corvairkr]

I fly a 601 HDS with a tinted canopy and the Vans RV NACA ducts to eyeball vents for cockpit airflow up here in North Queensland.

 

On the ground it can get pretty tropical but in the air we’ve had absolutely no problem.

 

You can also buy retractable shade screens such as the Home which I’ve been meaning to get....more for shade while we’re parked at other airstrips.

 

Jason

 

 

[IBob]

Over here, it depends more on who you've got in there with you...........)

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

LolMaybe your mate should have tried the inside of the canopy, at least he lost the shades and not a wing on the 601..... wink wink

The friend to whom I refer is actually the fella who first started demanding a public release of information from the designer/kit supplier about the wing problem. After not getting the info he sought from them at Oshkosh he subsequently went and confronted them at the factory. Then he was eventually able to determine that his, the HD model, didn't have the wing issue that some other variants did.

 

On the inside you say? I might mention that to him ...

 

 

[Nobody]

I have flown gliders quite a lot and low wing RV types a bit. On the ground with the canopy closed they are quite "toasty" but once moving and at latitude then it is quite comfortable. Often the secret to improved ventilation is allowing the air to escape at a low pressure location rather than forcing more in via bigger vents. If you can get it setup so that the air inflow into the cockpit is such that it is changed every few minutes you will be ok.

 

If you have 35 degrees on the ground you usually* have about 15 to 20 degrees at a 6000 to 7000 foot cruising altitude, cold enough to be thinking of closing the vents and sealing up the leaks.

 

*unless there is an inversion like Alf Jessup mentioned above.

 

 

[red750]

Taxying - note the arm.

 

 

 

[poteroo]

I'm about to embark on a homebuilt low wing aircraft build. At the risk of starting a 'high wing/low wing is the best' debate I'd like to hear from people who fly low wing bubble canopy aircraft in Australia. My aircraft is a French design with a one piece, front hinged bubble canopy and I'd like to know how hot it gets in the cockpit and what are some of the solutions against this eg shades, lots of air etc. There are many bubble-canopied planes and gliders in Australia so I'm thinking it can't be that bad.Mark

I can confirm that it becomes stifling hot in most high or low wings left in the sun in Australia. I've had 54 degrees on my OAT when starting up, and believe me, you don't stuff around on the ground for any more than it takes to do your runups. Extra venting, (with adjustable nozzles), is very useful in smaller RAAus aircraft, especially if training in them. If fitting extra NACA ducts - fit the vent outlets lower towards the footwell area so the airflow is upwards and not in your face as some window vents are placed. Adjustable top of canopy screens are a help, but better if they are reflective ones. You'll learn that it's smarter to fly early in the day and so avoid being cooked in your bird. happy days,

 

 

[alf jessup]

Have you had it up to NW Queensland where 22° on the ground are winter temps?

No Frank I haven’t

But then again I work in the desert in the Cooper Basin so maybe I’m acclimatised to the heat part

 

I usually taxi with the canopy slid open on warm days in any case

 

Today’s temp inversion was like I had the heater on 31 deg at 3500 ft

 

A hat is a must in mine and I usually carry water to keep hydrated

 

I’ve done over 570 hrs in the last 5 years in it and never really cooked in it

 

 

[kgwilson]

I agree about the airflow escaping due to creating a low pressure area. I have a 3mm gap around the canopy trailing edge which sucks the air through. The nozzles aren't very big but the air really blasts through. Contrary to the opinion of most people when I was building my aircraft the gap doesn't create any noise. The only time it is a problem is when the aircraft is stopped on the ground & it is raining or being hosed down as a bit of water can get in then. Also the canopy is tinted so that helps a bit too. Taxying with my arm holding the canopy up a bit as in Red photo helps to keep it a bit cooler on the ground.

 

 

[MartyG]

Gets hot real quick in summer around Boonah. Always taxi with the canopy open in the Tecnam Golf, only closed as part of pre takeoff checks and very soon on rollout after landing, cant say I have noticed the heat in flight but it gets hot real quick on the ground.

 

 

[planesmaker]

Be careful of bubble canopies in the sun, if tilted up while left on the ground a friend nearly burnt his plane because of the magnifying effect.

 

 

[Love to fly]

Bought my RV-6A in Jandakot some years back. No shade and by the time we got the plane back to Moorabbin I felt like a pickled lobster. First thing I did when we got back was order a Koger Sunshade. My partner's RV-9A started flying in May this year and by the time we finished the test flying the sunshade was on it's way ....

 

 

[nomadpete]

Yes, we had a glider seat almost set alight by sun being concentrated by an open canopy.

 

 

[Ayecapt]

Our Tecnam Sierra is hot on the ground in summer but not an issue in the air.

 

I have noticed High wing types taxying around with doors open to get cooling air inside. So its not just bubble canopyies that have that problem.

 

I taxy with the canopy slid back as far as i need . So i guess keep it in mind but if i liked a design for its performance I would go for it.

 

 

[crashley]

I fly an RV12 low wing forward opening canopy It has a koger sun shade which is great slide it forward for taxiing and flying and open for take off and landing I leave the canopy open a few inches when taxiing It does get a bit hot but not enough to be a problem and the great visability more than compensates for it

 

 

[BlurE]

Taxiing with a sliding canopy back LOOKS cool even in the blazing sun. (So my ego says anyway)