Don:: Alon canopies have departed in flight, and the Alon is not near as comfortable with the canopy open as the Ercoupe design is with the windows down.
Replacing the canopy is a very precise job to do, as the canopy must fit laterally and vertically at the same time to close properly without bowing. If the canopy bows along the sides it creates undue cockpit noise from air leaks. To remove the canopy the fiber retaining block must be removed in the rear center slider, and the rear canopy latch blocks must be removed at the rear of the canopy. 1 bolt is quite easy to remove but the other is on the inside of the cockpit behind the upholstry. You will undoubtedly need new rear teflon sliders, I know of only one source thats Les Slifkin in souther California. Maybe someone else can provide his address, I no longer have it. Les also has a source for the medical tubing used to seal the front of the canopy. Wayne Woollard ----- Original Message ----- From: donbaker92 To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 6:19 AM Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Alon Canopy I need advice on how to remove my Alon canopy. I want to replace the plexiglass. Specifically how can the screws in the rollers in the from of the tracks be removed? Also, I would like to fly with the canopy open sometimes, but I'm afraid it might depart in flight. Has this happened to anyone and what precautions should be taken? thanks Don
