Kestrel DG200 canopy mod.

OK

Anyone out there with experience in converting the T59D / 401 Kestrel
canopy from the awful removable thing with a hoop exactly where you want
to watch the tug, to a single piece.

Apparently there is an approved mod using a DG200 canopy.

Second question is - would there be anyone with such a canopy /frame
assembly for sale. As I understand it you need the entire DG hinge and
pedestal part too.

FWIW - I am considering modifying a Mark 2 Slingsby T59D Kestrel 19m -
though to the best of my knowledge the canopy and cockpit is identical
on the various Kestrels.

Any advice gladly received.

Cheers
Bruce

On Jun 11, 12:45*am, Bruce wrote:
OK

Anyone out there with experience in converting the T59D / 401 Kestrel
canopy from the awful removable thing with a hoop exactly where you want
to watch the tug, to a single piece.

Apparently there is an approved mod using a DG200 canopy.

Second question is - would there be anyone with such a canopy /frame
assembly for sale. As I understand it you need the entire DG hinge and
pedestal part too.

FWIW - I am considering modifying a Mark 2 Slingsby T59D Kestrel 19m -
though to the best of my knowledge the canopy and cockpit is identical
on the various Kestrels.

Any advice gladly received.

Cheers
Bruce

You might check in also at the kestrel401 yahoo group.

Frank Whiteley

Not too long ago there were pictures of a Kestrel 17 on Hansjorg Streifeneders web pages with a single piece forward hinged canopy modifcation ....this glider was being offered for sale but I think the ad said "Streifeneder" modification to canopy.
noted on their website: http://www.streifly.de/segelflugzeug-service-e.htm
You have some fancy ideas for modifying your aircraft? Please tell us. Actually there is not much we are not able to put into practice. Some of our works we ·
a.. a continous long canopy for Kestrel ·
b.. an elongated front canopy for ASH 25 ·
c.. a long one-piece canopy for ASH 25 ·
d.. an elongated forward hinged canopy for Discus ·
e.. seat cushion and sidewall panels in genuine leather, seat heating ·
f.. and much more...
try asking him, his website is http://www.streifly.de/home-e.htm
tim
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com

"Bruce" wrote in message ...
OK

Anyone out there with experience in converting the T59D / 401 Kestrel
canopy from the awful removable thing with a hoop exactly where you want
to watch the tug, to a single piece.

Apparently there is an approved mod using a DG200 canopy.

Second question is - would there be anyone with such a canopy /frame
assembly for sale. As I understand it you need the entire DG hinge and
pedestal part too.

FWIW - I am considering modifying a Mark 2 Slingsby T59D Kestrel 19m -
though to the best of my knowledge the canopy and cockpit is identical
on the various Kestrels.

Any advice gladly received.

Cheers
Bruce

Whilst you're waiting for the fix from Streifeneder, try different
flap settings on tow.
Jim

JS wrote:
Whilst you're waiting for the fix from Streifeneder, try different
flap settings on tow.
Jim
Now there's a lateral suggestion.

I shall take your suggestion and try it - but I still want the new canopy.

Bruce

In England Don Austin has put a one-piece canopy on a kestrel,it looks like
a next generation ship,he dosen't know when to stop though, he also put
suspension,a disc brake and wing tips.

At 18:46 11 June 2009, Bruce wrote:
JS wrote:
Whilst you're waiting for the fix from Streifeneder, try different
flap settings on tow.
Jim
Now there's a lateral suggestion.

I shall take your suggestion and try it - but I still want the new
canopy.

Bruce

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Winglets, disk brake and a single
pece cockpit - a little wing profiling and you have a very nice
sailplane for a fraction of the cost of one (15m) with maybe 3% better
performance... A new 18m ship would cost me five times the investment
for maybe 10% more L/D. If you just want to have fun then it is a poor
investment.

The locally developed modification with polyhedral wingtips and winglets
seems to narrow that performance gap even further. So that is a probable
change when time and money allow.

Mine has already had a complete cosmetic going over and wing profile -
needs some work to pretty the cockpit up and then she is as good as new.

Lovely glider as she is - But that canopy has to go.


Jonathon May wrote:
In England Don Austin has put a one-piece canopy on a kestrel,it looks like
a next generation ship,he dosen't know when to stop though, he also put
suspension,a disc brake and wing tips.

At 18:46 11 June 2009, Bruce wrote:
JS wrote:
Whilst you're waiting for the fix from Streifeneder, try different
flap settings on tow.
Jim
Now there's a lateral suggestion.

I shall take your suggestion and try it - but I still want the new
canopy.
Bruce

But wouldn't putting winglets on the bird invalidate the Type
Certicate?

I've been toying with the idea of the double-panel spoiler
modification, but I've been told that my TC would be gone and I'd be
in the "owner maintenance" category. I'm not sure that that's a good
idea.

I can understand upgrading the brakes and canopy not interfering with
the TC, but wouldn't the winglets be a structural change, and thereby
invalidate the TC?

As an aside, my TC states that my Kestrel must be "all white", with
blue-grey (or similar light) registration marks. I understand that it
was written in the early days of FRP, but would it be allowable now to
put bright red anti-collision accents on the extremities?

At 09:22 12 June 2009, Bruce wrote:
Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Winglets, disk brake and a single
pece cockpit - a little wing profiling and you have a very nice
sailplane for a fraction of the cost of one (15m) with maybe 3% better
performance... A new 18m ship would cost me five times the investment
for maybe 10% more L/D. If you just want to have fun then it is a poor
investment.

The locally developed modification with polyhedral wingtips and winglets

seems to narrow that performance gap even further. So that is a probable

change when time and money allow.

Mine has already had a complete cosmetic going over and wing profile -
needs some work to pretty the cockpit up and then she is as good as new.

Lovely glider as she is - But that canopy has to go.


Jonathon May wrote:
In England Don Austin has put a one-piece canopy on a kestrel,it looks
like
a next generation ship,he dosen't know when to stop though, he also
put
suspension,a disc brake and wing tips.

At 18:46 11 June 2009, Bruce wrote:
JS wrote:
Whilst you're waiting for the fix from Streifeneder, try different
flap settings on tow.
Jim
Now there's a lateral suggestion.

I shall take your suggestion and try it - but I still want the new
canopy.
Bruce

As to the mods done on my Kestrel 19 I have fitted a Vega Canopy to it as
I watched the Vega Mould being made and they used an uncut Kestrel Canopy
for the front of the Vega.
I liked the simple hinging arrangement used by DG so I used this method.
The winglets I fitted were on the style of Shemp Hirth and measurably
improve the roll rate and I believe improves the best glide angle.
The BGA permitted the fitting ofwnglets to any gider that can have its
wings extended. ie 20 Meter Kestrel.I have also fitted two ASW 20's
with winglets.The easy way to do this is to modify the stub tips.
Kestrels are too heavy for a drum brake but a M/Cycle front disk brake can
be obtained complete with Brake Lever pipe and reservoir quite easilly.The
standard Glider wheel with disk is the one I used.
It seemed a shame not to fit Rubber springs to the U/C when it was
reassembled so I did.
Anyone who would like a picture is welcome.
Don Austin

At 09:22 12 June 2009, Bruce wrote:
Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Winglets, disk brake and a single
pece cockpit - a little wing profiling and you have a very nice
sailplane for a fraction of the cost of one (15m) with maybe 3% better
performance... A new 18m ship would cost me five times the investment
for maybe 10% more L/D. If you just want to have fun then it is a poor
investment.

The locally developed modification with polyhedral wingtips and winglets

seems to narrow that performance gap even further. So that is a probable

change when time and money allow.

Mine has already had a complete cosmetic going over and wing profile -
needs some work to pretty the cockpit up and then she is as good as new.

Lovely glider as she is - But that canopy has to go.


Jonathon May wrote:
In England Don Austin has put a one-piece canopy on a kestrel,it looks
like
a next generation ship,he dosen't know when to stop though, he also
put
suspension,a disc brake and wing tips.

At 18:46 11 June 2009, Bruce wrote:
JS wrote:
Whilst you're waiting for the fix from Streifeneder, try different
flap settings on tow.
Jim
Now there's a lateral suggestion.

I shall take your suggestion and try it - but I still want the new
canopy.
Bruce

As to the mods done on my Kestrel 19 I have fitted a Vega Canopy to it as
I watched the Vega Mould being made and they used an uncut Kestrel Canopy
for the front of the Vega.
I liked the simple hinging arrangement used by DG so I used this method.
The winglets I fitted were on the style of Shemp Hirth and measurably
improve the roll rate and I believe improves the best glide angle.
The BGA permitted the fitting ofwnglets to any gider that can have its
wings extended. ie 20 Meter Kestrel.I have also fitted two ASW 20's
with winglets.The easy way to do this is to modify the stub tips.
Kestrels are too heavy for a drum brake but a M/Cycle front disk brake can
be obtained complete with Brake Lever pipe and reservoir quite easilly.The
standard Glider wheel with disk is the one I used.
It seemed a shame not to fit Rubber springs to the U/C when it was
reassembled so I did.
Anyone who would like a picture is welcome.
Don Austin