If I leave my forward hinging canopy fully open on the ground, and the sun catches it just in the wrong position, it acts like a magnifying glass and burns holes in the covering on my instrument panel dust cover.

Any ideas out there as to a fabric that will not burn under these circumstances or another means of dealing to the problem.

John Spry 320

I sympathize with the situation.  I have had it happen twice with the first about 48 hours after I installed my brand new covered dust cover.  It took about 10 seconds.  Dang.  I knew to be careful, but got distracted at the first Redmond Lancair fly-in I flew in to when someone walked up to talk right after I shut down and opened the canopy.  The second time was also as a result of a distraction; that time being from a tv camera crew that walked up.  No soup for you!  So, I put an EAA sticker over the hole.  The burn holes are still there under that sticker.  Just gave away my secret.

I carry a rolled up piece of silver reflective material which is cut in the shape of the dust cover.  I put in on over the dust cover if the plane is going to be somewhere where the sun may be coming from the rear of the plane during the day while the canopy is open.  Like at the Redmond Fly-in, in my favorite parking spot, where I used to park, as planes in that row all face to the north.

The material I use is silver insulating mat from a hardware store (Ace or similar) that is about 1/4 inch thick, is double sided, with insulating air pockets between the outside material.  Supplied in a big roll at the store and sold by by the foot.  Zetex might work also, but would be a bit expensive.  Or, just close the canopy.

Gary Edwards

LNC2

Medford, Oregon