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Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:31:42 -0500
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Subject: Retrofitting a 360
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Danny -

Some thoguhts from a 360 builder (but not yet flying).

1)  Canopy -- If you are considering retrofitting a forward hinged canopy=
 to a finished 360 with a parallelogram canopy, here are some things to co=
nsider.  The forward hinge canopy attaches to brackets which go into "pock=
ets" in the aft face of the header tank.  If the back face of the header=
 tank is flat, you will need to "make" pockets by hacking up the header ta=
nk.  That would be a real pain, in my opinion, but anything can be done.=
  There are instructions for doing this with the forward hinge canopy hard=
ware.  My 360 came with parallelogram canopy hardware but a "pocketed" hea=
der tank, and I subsequently purchased the forward hinge hardware.  So you=
 might luck out there and find a parallelogram canopy installation onto a=
 pocketed tank.  If the plane does not have a header tank at all you've go=
t a bigger problem -- no place to attach the brackets for the hinges.  Reg=
ardless of header tank configuration, you will have to reinforce the front=
 of the canopy with 80 feet of unidirectional carbon fiber.  You may also=
 choose to trim the canopy sides to make them thinner and gain about an in=
ch of shoulder room.  This particular modification work should not be too=
 hard, but you'll trash the interior paint on the canopy.  Not a biggie,=
 I think.  You'll also need to cut a slot in the back rest for the handle=
 and affix nylon pivot blocks to the inside walls just behind the seat. =
 Plus cut slots into the rollover structure for the latches and make a hol=
e in the side of the plane for the handle.  Also cut holes in your glaresh=
ield for the hinges.  All is doable but I'm not sure I would bother.  Gues=
ses?  $1000 for materials and parts and 250 hours labor.  Plus paint.  Jus=
t a guess.

2)  Long engine mount -- This will probably make maintenance a lot easier.=
  Will also move your CG forward and make it fly better.  I think all you'=
ll need to do is unbolt the mount, make sure the new mount fits in the old=
 holes, and move the engine and its accessories over.  Then you'll need to=
 extend the cowling to fill the gap.  As fiberglass work goes that's not=
 too bad.  You will have to re-do the cowling fasteners, of course.  And=
 you might need longer hoses in a couple of places, but that's just writin=
g a check.  Guesses?  $500 for a new mount, $700 for materials including=
 new cowl fastener parts and new hoses, a weekend for the changeover and=
 75 hours labor for extending the canopy and redoing the cowl fasteners.=
  Plus paint.

3)  Landing gear -- I have long considered the Lancair landing gear to be=
 the weak link in the airplane.  Tinkertoy struts supporting go-kart wheel=
s and bicycle brakes.  Okay, so maybe that's a little harsh but if you com=
pare the Lancair gear to any certified airplane of the same or similar wei=
ght and you see Twiggy supporting the Lancair and (fil in your favorite fe=
male WWE start here) supporting the spam can. (wait, where was I?  I lost=
 my train of thoguth for a moment)  Oh, yes, and it's not just the gear --=
 the flaps are totally different as well.  This is a huge modification whi=
ch I would stay away from.  But again, I know nothing about the outback ge=
ar. Guesses?  Megabucks for the parts and a year or two for the labor.  (O=
kay, maybe I exaggerate a little.)

Hope this helps.

- Rob Wolf
Tucson AZ


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<font color=3D'black' size=3D'2' face=3D'arial'>
<div>Danny -</div>


<div>&nbsp;</div>


<div>Some thoguhts from a 360 builder (but not yet flying).</div>


<div>&nbsp;</div>


<div>1)&nbsp; Canopy -- If you are considering retrofitting a forward hing=
ed canopy to a finished 360 with a parallelogram canopy, here are some thi=
ngs to consider.&nbsp; The forward hinge canopy attaches to brackets which=
 go into "pockets" in the aft face of the header tank.&nbsp; If the back=
 face of the header tank is flat, you will need to "make" pockets by hacki=
ng up the header tank.&nbsp; That would be a real pain, in my opinion, but=
 anything can be done.&nbsp; There are instructions for doing this with th=
e forward hinge canopy hardware.&nbsp; My 360 came with parallelogram cano=
py hardware but a "pocketed" header tank, and I subsequently purchased the=
 forward hinge hardware.&nbsp; So you might luck out there and find a para=
llelogram canopy installation onto a pocketed tank.&nbsp; If the plane doe=
s not have a header tank at all&nbsp;you've got a bigger problem -- no pla=
ce to attach the brackets for the hinges.&nbsp; Regardless of header tank=
 configuration, you will have to reinforce the front of the canopy with 80=
 feet of unidirectional carbon fiber.&nbsp; You may also choose to trim th=
e canopy sides to make them thinner and gain about an inch of shoulder roo=
m.&nbsp; This particular modification work should not be too hard, but you=
'll trash the interior paint on the canopy.&nbsp; Not a biggie, I think.&n=
bsp; You'll also need to cut a slot in the back rest for the handle and af=
fix nylon pivot blocks to the inside walls just behind the seat.&nbsp; Plu=
s cut slots into the rollover structure for the latches and make a hole in=
 the side of the plane for the handle.&nbsp; Also cut holes in your glares=
hield for the hinges.&nbsp; All is doable but I'm not sure I would bother.=
&nbsp; Guesses?&nbsp; $1000 for materials and parts and 250 hours labor.&n=
bsp; Plus paint.&nbsp; Just a guess.</div>


<div>&nbsp;</div>


<div>2)&nbsp; Long engine mount -- This will probably make maintenance a=
 lot easier.&nbsp; Will also move your CG forward and make it fly better.&=
nbsp; I think all you'll need to do is unbolt the mount, make sure the new=
 mount fits in the old holes, and move the engine and its accessories over=
.&nbsp; Then you'll need to extend the cowling to fill the gap.&nbsp; As=
 fiberglass work goes that's not too bad.&nbsp; You will have to re-do the=
 cowling fasteners, of course.&nbsp; And you might need longer hoses in a=
 couple of places, but that's just writing a check.&nbsp; Guesses?&nbsp;=
 $500 for a new mount, $700 for materials including new cowl fastener part=
s and new hoses, a weekend for the changeover and&nbsp;75 hours labor for=
 extending the canopy and redoing the cowl fasteners.&nbsp; Plus paint.</d=
iv>


<div>&nbsp;</div>


<div>3)&nbsp; Landing gear -- I have long considered the Lancair landing=
 gear to be the weak link in the airplane.&nbsp; Tinkertoy struts supporti=
ng go-kart wheels and bicycle brakes.&nbsp; Okay, so maybe that's a little=
 harsh but if you compare the Lancair gear to any certified airplane of th=
e same or similar weight and you see Twiggy supporting the Lancair and (fi=
l in your favorite female WWE start here) supporting the spam can. (wait,=
 where was I?&nbsp; I lost my train of thoguth for a moment)&nbsp; Oh, yes=
, and it's not just the gear -- the flaps are totally different as well.&n=
bsp; This is a huge modification which I would stay away from.&nbsp; But=
 again, I know nothing about the outback gear. Guesses?&nbsp; Megabucks fo=
r the parts and a year or two for the labor.&nbsp; (Okay, maybe I exaggera=
te a little.)</div>


<div>&nbsp;</div>


<div>Hope this helps.</div>


<div>&nbsp;</div>


<div>- Rob Wolf</div>


<div>Tucson AZ<br>
</div>


<div style=3D"CLEAR: both"></div>
</font>

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