"Cabriolet" open cockpit canopy?

[Ryan Wubben]

Is it possible to replace the standard canopy on a Scheibe L-Spatz III (or
any
of that series) with an open cockpit "cabriolet" style canopy? Do plans
exist?

I've seen pictures on a K-6 and K-8 (even a dual one on an ASK-13!), but
I'm
curious what the process is and what paperwork is required? Is it easier
with
one registered experimental?

Thanks,
Ryan

[ND]

On Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 11:45:08 AM UTC-5, Ryan Wubben wrote:
> Is it possible to replace the standard canopy on a Scheibe L-Spatz III (or
> any
> of that series) with an open cockpit "cabriolet" style canopy? Do plans
> exist?
>
> I've seen pictures on a K-6 and K-8 (even a dual one on an ASK-13!), but
> I'm
> curious what the process is and what paperwork is required? Is it easier
> with
> one registered experimental?
>
> Thanks,
> Ryan

yeah as an experimental it's called a trump mod. "You know, I’m automatically attracted to sailplanes. I just start modifying them. It’s like a magnet. Just mod. I don’t even wait. And when it's experimental, they let you do it. You can do anything."

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 12:03:53 PM UTC-6, ND wrote:
>
> yeah as an experimental it's called a trump mod. "You know, I’m automatically attracted to sailplanes. I just start modifying them. It’s like a magnet. Just mod. I don’t even wait. And when it's experimental, they let you do it. You can do anything."

And if your first flight with it is on a good day, you will come back with a YUUUGE grin on your face!

[Eric Munk]

Paperwork would be dependent on what country the aircraft is registered in.

[Ryan Wubben]

At 15:08 22 December 2016, Eric Munk wrote:
>Paperwork would be dependent on what country the aircraft is registered
in.
>
>

US resgistered, experimental

[Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas]

I can assure you that flying open cockpit is a blast! Why else would I purposely degrade the performance of a perfectly fine sailplane?

My extra "Cabriolet" canopy was fabricated here from the Schleicher factory tech note. It's a popular winter project in Europe but I may have the only "convertible" ASK-13 sailplane in the USA, and likely the most colorful!

Scroll through my Facebook page at "Burton Compton" for photos of my open cockpit ASK-13 at Marfa, Texas and at the 2016 International Vintage Sailplane Meet (IVSM) on Harris Hill near Elmira, NY.

Burton von Pickelhaube

[Dave Nadler]

On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 1:50:33 PM UTC-5, Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas wrote:
> I can assure you that flying open cockpit is a blast!

Reminds me of the time my whale was sitting near the runway
at Sugarbush without its overhead canopy.
Loud local pundit: "Dave, where's your canopy".
Wuffo: "Dave's thinking of flying without it".
Loud local pundit: "It will have inadequate pitch authority!
Unrecoverable in a spin! You'll crash and die! What a hair-
brained idea!" .... and a truly excessive long rant....

When he finally, face red, ran out of breath, all I could say
was: I just had a great hour-plus flight, bit loud but flies
great. And I did have a big grin!

See ya, Dave

Hmm: Perhaps an ArcusM Sport Canopy?
Gotta keep the hats out of the prop though.
Don't ask why I know this is a problem ;-)

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

Or if you could not do the mod, go fly in a Stearman, or like type aircraft.. Great low and slow aircraft, I know a bit more noise and oil than most gliders, but at least it is open cockpit flying. On a side note, my current glider is the quietest glider I have EVER flown and I am enjoying the silence!


On Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 8:45:08 AM UTC-8, Ryan Wubben wrote:
> Is it possible to replace the standard canopy on a Scheibe L-Spatz III (or
> any
> of that series) with an open cockpit "cabriolet" style canopy? Do plans
> exist?
>
> I've seen pictures on a K-6 and K-8 (even a dual one on an ASK-13!), but
> I'm
> curious what the process is and what paperwork is required? Is it easier
> with
> one registered experimental?
>
> Thanks,
> Ryan