I started out today trimming to shape the 2-ply carbon fiber wing-bottom bolt hole access covers, and then removing the peel ply.  This completes the making of both top and bottom wing bolt access covers.

I then did a couple more rounds of refining the contours of the added pour foam fills in the aft corner junctions where the longerons transition into the D-deck.  These fills are to ensure the canopy seals nicely at these corners to help prevent any unwanted incoming air or noise at these points.

I had planned on glassing these canopy interface corner pour foam fills above, but just ran out of time.

I did however get another step closer to finishing the task of moving the glare shield lip aft about 1/8″.

I started off by removing the peel ply from the inside surface of the 2-ply BID layup surface that makes up the new lip (no pic).  I then marked the existing glare shield lip for removal (pic 1), by using my Fein saw to cut off the existing (old) lip (pic 2).

I marked the new edge of the new 2-ply laid up BID glare shield lip and cut off the excess glass with the Fein saw (pic 1).  I then pulled the double-sided tape, thin cardboard and electrical tape off the new BID lip before then removing all the inside peel ply.

My last step was cleaning up and sanding the inside edge of the old (forward) glare shield lip, and the trimmed edge of the new glare shield lip.

Before I do any more layups on the new glare shield lip, I wanted to make sure it was in the correct position… so I mounted the aft nose/avionics cover and closed the canopy down on top of it.  I also used my cell phone to take videos from the inside of the canopy and glare shield looking up to evaluate the new glare shield lip positioning inside the interfacing groove on the underside of the canopy skirt.

All looked good, so I’ll proceed with the construction of the new glare shield lip tomorrow (aka “more layups”).

Also note above the too-wide seam between the front edge canopy skirt and the aft nose/avionics cover.  Somewhere down the line between installing the aft nose/avionics cover in place with all the hardware and hinges, as well as possible different final cure cycles between the two (my canopy was stored in the rec room in my house for years as compared to the glare shield stored in the shop… different temps?)… whatever the reason, I need to fill this gap as part of my final finish efforts pre-paint.

Also, I’ll note that I’ve started the effort to create a new intermediate cable latch bracket to fix my configuration issue with the pull cable on my nose hatch latch.  The tight curves and mandated path inside the nose to route the pull cable is just too bendy and tight to allow for an EZ actuation of the nose hatch latch… it simply needs a redesign.  Thus, I’ve started modeling up some test fitting blanks in CAD for the intermediate latch bracket to start the R&D to get that part made.

Again, I want the nose hatch fit and latch system 100% operational before I do the final micro in and around the nose hatch on the top of the plane’s nose.

Finally, in much of the same vein as the nose hatch latch, I’ve also been doing initial design and test 3D prints to nail down a workable canopy latch safety catch, or “lock” if you will, to ensure that nothing (air, wind gusts, weak latching mechanism, caught sleeve) allows or throws the canopy latch handle open.  I plan on this secondary canopy latch handle locking lever to also manipulate the “Canopy Locked” micro-switch that goes to the canopy and gear warning system.

More info to come on both of these projects as they mature.