Libelle 201 Canopy

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Hi I'm looking at purchasing a 201 and am going to need a new canopy if I get the thing. I would be happy to take a used canopy that has scratches and or a crack or two as long as it's serviceable. Let me know if you've got anything. Thanks!

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

Since you did not say where in the world you are, I will offer up this canopy option for you.

https://www.segelflug.de/osclass/index.php?page=item&id=27307

Steve Leonard

[JS[_5_]]

On Monday, July 16, 2018 at 1:23:36 PM UTC-7, Steve Leonard wrote:
> Since you did not say where in the world you are, I will offer up this canopy option for you.
>
> https://www.segelflug.de/osclass/index.php?page=item&id=27307
>
> Steve Leonard

We had Rex put a tinted Mecaplex canopy on 3B. The 201 looks even better dressed like that.
Jim

[[email protected]]

Thanks Jim and Steve. I'm located in California. That Blue tint canopy from Germany looks great I'll send an inquiry with google translate to segelflug for cost. I'm new to sailplanes and don't know Rex, forgive my ignorance. Could you explain in more detail?

[JS[_5_]]

On Monday, July 16, 2018 at 6:06:53 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> Thanks Jim and Steve. I'm located in California. That Blue tint canopy from Germany looks great I'll send an inquiry with google translate to segelflug for cost. I'm new to sailplanes and don't know Rex, forgive my ignorance. Could you explain in more detail?

Rex owns Williams Soaring Center, in Williams California.
Timing was right for us, so the Libelle canopy was shipped together with a canopy for an ASH25.
You never know when there'll be a shipment with room for a canopy...
(aka consolidation)
Jim

[[email protected]]

Thanks I saw a recommendation that Williams may have a used canopy that I could get. I'll give Rex a call.

[Graham Drinkell[_2_]]

At 01:47 17 July 2018, JS wrote:
>On Monday, July 16, 2018 at 6:06:53 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
>> Thanks Jim and Steve. I'm located in California. That Blue tint
canopy
>fr=
>om Germany looks great I'll send an inquiry with google translate to
>segelf=
>lug for cost. I'm new to sailplanes and don't know Rex, forgive my
>ignoranc=
>e. Could you explain in more detail?
>
>Rex owns Williams Soaring Center, in Williams California.
>Timing was right for us, so the Libelle canopy was shipped together
with a
>=
>canopy for an ASH25.
>You never know when there'll be a shipment with room for a canopy...
>(aka consolidation)
>Jim
>Hi, I know of a local company in Colchester, that can produce a tinted
canopy for a Libelle for around £400. The best tint option is brownish-
makes spotting thermals far easier than a blue tint?

[[email protected]]

Less than $500.00 USD shipping to California probably another 80-100. That's affordable for me. Would you give me the name of that company that produces those transparencies. I'm still planning to look around here a while and called Rex today. Considering building a plug and giving a go at forming one. The Libelle is probably one of the smallest sailplane canopies. Sourced the acrylic for around $120 for an appropriate sized sheet can obtain in clear, smoke tint, bronze, blue, light blue, clear. Definitely a task to make one but not too hard.

[[email protected]]

And the adventure begins.....

Looks simple. It is not.

Good luck!

[Charlie Quebec]

A local here in Aus tried starting out making a Libelle canopy from a plug. It took 7 years to get it right, as the pointy rear top caused lots of problems.
He now knocks out mould then plug in 3 months. Making a plug that stays stable at 150C is not easy.
He uses no vacuum, and the plug has to take 2 tons of pressure to withstand the force of the giant press built into the oven.
Good luck, you will need it.

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

A worthwhile read on how to make your own moulded canopy.

http://ssa.org/Archive/ViewIssue.aspx?year=1975&month=6&page=31

June 1975 SOARING, starts on page 31. If you search the SOARING archive for "Bob Walters" you will find some more articles by him and about his Duster. A beautiful plane. Later, he designed and built the Dragonfly. A two seat, side by side, tandem wing (similar configuration to the Rutan Quicke) airplane. He stopped overnight at Sunflower Gliderport on his way to its Oshkosh debut!

Not saying don't try it. Just saying you should be aware that it may not be as easy as it appears!

Steve Leonard

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Thanks Steve I don't have an SSA membership as of yet when I do I'll plan on reading the article that Mr. Walters wrote. Im actually making payments on a Dragonfly. To Gram could you provide the contact info for the Libelle canopy you mentioned. There's a good chance I would pick up a transparency from them.

[Charlie Quebec]

This article is about the bloke who makes canopies here.
I’m currently waiting on a blue tint DG canopy from him.
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&title=Custom-Bubble-Canopies&A=113285

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I was looking at autospeed. My thought was that a Libelle canopy would make for an easier project being its pretty small however the shape people have said makes it one of the most difficult supposedly. I'm not certain what his prices are like but shipping from Aus to the US I'd think would be quite expensive. Not because of weight because of size. What was the lead time on the canopy you ordered Charlie?

[Charlie Quebec]

As he has to make a mould, my lead time is 4 months
He charges $2500 for a canopy for a DG, he has a Libelle mould, that was the first one he made.
I will ask him about costs.
At least a Libelle canopy is not so big. He said the pointy section at the back is the most difficult part to get right.
If you read the article, all of his glider canopies are stretch formed, rather than blown, making them thicker at the top of the curve.
Ian is retiring soon, and hopes to have a 2 week lead time in the near future. I suspect it would be too expensive with shipping, but is half the mecaplex price.
Right now he is busy on mine!