Replacement canopies

[[email protected]]

Is there anyone in the US that can blow a replacement canopy for a ASW20?

[Bob Kuykendall]

On Friday, September 6, 2019 at 7:25:40 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> Is there anyone in the US that can blow a replacement canopy for a ASW20?

The factory canopy for the ASW, like that of pretty much every modern composite sailplane, is stretch molded over a plug or mandrel, not free-blown. That process provides precise control over the shape, so it fits the fuselage contours perfectly. The shape of a free-blown canopy is dictated by air pressure and stress in the acrylic membrane such that it is hard to control, and very unlikely to duplicate the contour of a molded canopy.

The place in the US that is most likely to be able to mold a canopy for ASW20 is Aircraft Windshields in Los Alamitos, CA, near LA. Contact them and ask if they have a plug for the '19 or '20. If not, either you or them would have to make the plug, in which case you are probably better off just buying the transparency from Schleicher.

The guy in Florida who took over Todds can probably free-blow a canopy for you. It might even look OK from certain perspectives. But overall it won't replace the factory unit.

--Bob K.

[[email protected]]

Link to an Argentinian company that produces glider canopies and other aircraft windshields:
https://spaeroparts.com/

[[email protected]]

On Friday, September 6, 2019 at 10:25:40 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> Is there anyone in the US that can blow a replacement canopy for a ASW20?

False economy!
But a factory canopy that will be correct and fit.
Money saved on off brand canopy will be eaten up by extra installation labor.
UH

[Bob Kuykendall]

On Friday, September 6, 2019 at 12:06:11 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> Link to an Argentinian company that produces glider canopies and other aircraft windshields:
> https://spaeroparts.com/

Thanks! I'll check if they can make canopies for me.

[Charles Longley]

I was quoted $2,000 for the canopy with the hole cut for the sliding window and sliding window included. But $2,000 for freight and customs. Total of $4,000.
I would be interested in bundling 3-4 canopies into one box to save on freight. I am talking ASW19-20 canopies here.

Having installed 3 canopies so far and tried the blown canopies. I would strongly encourage interested parties to go with the factory molded ones. The blown canopies just don’t look right and don’t fit well.

[[email protected][_1_]]

Having installed a fair number of factory (Mecaplex) canopies and half a dozen aftermarket (Thermotec, the guys in SoCal) and a homemade unit) , I believe Hanks is spot-on. And the results of aftermarket canopies have been very unsatisfying. I would decline to install aftermarket unit today.

The Mecaplex units are stunning in their fit and optics. I bought an AS-W12 canopy 20+ years after production of the ship ceased and it was perfect. Such service deserves our support.

Could you reduce the shipping on a current manufacture by ordering from the dealer? They could ship it in one of their container loads.

[[email protected]]

On Friday, September 6, 2019 at 5:25:40 PM UTC+3, wrote:
> Is there anyone in the US that can blow a replacement canopy for a ASW20?

We replaced our ASW20 canopy a few months back. Both Schleicher and Mecaplex quoted very long lead times. Ultimately purchased from plexiweiss.de . Very nice product, price and service.
Uri

[JS[_5_]]

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 2:39:03 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> On Friday, September 6, 2019 at 5:25:40 PM UTC+3, wrote:
> > Is there anyone in the US that can blow a replacement canopy for a ASW20?
>
> We replaced our ASW20 canopy a few months back. Both Schleicher and Mecaplex quoted very long lead times. Ultimately purchased from plexiweiss.de . Very nice product, price and service.
> Uri

Is Plexiweiss the canopy that Jonker Sailplanes uses?
Jim

[Nick Hill[_3_]]

On 12/09/2019 16:05, JS wrote:
> On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 2:39:03 AM UTC-7, wrote:
>> On Friday, September 6, 2019 at 5:25:40 PM UTC+3, wrote:
>>> Is there anyone in the US that can blow a replacement canopy for a ASW20?
>>
>> We replaced our ASW20 canopy a few months back. Both Schleicher and Mecaplex quoted very long lead times. Ultimately purchased from plexiweiss.de . Very nice product, price and service.
>> Uri
>
> Is Plexiweiss the canopy that Jonker Sailplanes uses?
> Jim
>

Not sure about Jonker but the HPH Sharks are plexiweiss. Had a new
Plexiwiess bubble for an LS4 this year and am very happy with it.

Plexiweiss were happy to take the order direct, Mecaplex referred us to DG.

--

Nick Hill

[Charles Longley]

I’ll check them out.

[AS]

On Friday, September 6, 2019 at 10:25:40 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> Is there anyone in the US that can blow a replacement canopy for a ASW20?

This outfit is not in the US but in Argentina. They have an impressive list of gliders for which they make replacement canopies. May be worth to check them out:https://spaeroparts.com/en/opal_service/gliders/

Uli
'AS'

[Charles Longley]

Does anyone have experience with them? They have ASW-20 and L-23 which I need.

[AS]

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:12:03 PM UTC-4, Charles Longley wrote:
> Does anyone have experience with them? They have ASW-20 and L-23 which I need.

That's why I posted it here to find out. They send a mass e-mail to my club's address but I never heard of them. It looks like a legit business and they may be a good alternative to the commonly known sources.

Uli
'AS'

[Bob Kuykendall]

On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 9:41:00 PM UTC-7, AS wrote:
> On Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:12:03 PM UTC-4, Charles Longley wrote:
> > Does anyone have experience with them? They have ASW-20 and L-23 which I need.

No experience with them, but I have been in touch via email to see if they want to make my HP-24 canopy transparencies. Their price on the raw ASW 20 transparency in clear, 1/8" thickness, minus vent window or cutout, but including packing case, is about $1100 FOB their works. That's a pretty good price, but you still have to pay for shipping and insurance and perhaps duties and other fees. By the time it gets stateside, it's probably around $2000 to $2500. Which is still a pretty good deal if the quality is good. If you do a group buy and get several shipped in the same packing case it could be a great deal.

--Bob K.