Bravo windshield

[Nev]

I’ve started fitting my windshield and have some questions. Mine is a Bravo model, with the skylight mod.

Should the windshield fit in a perfectly relaxed state, or is it normal to have it under some tension/compression to get it to fit ? My preference is to have it perfectly relaxed of course but both sides need to be pulled inwards to sit against the pillars.

Regarding the forward fuel lines. In the pics you can see that I’ve kept the bend at the top of the pillars as low as possible. Did I make the bend too low ? Does the fuel tank sit flush with the bottom skin, or is there room to raise the bend in the fuel line and retain the downhill flow ? Or do I need to cut the windshield for the fuel line to penetrate?

Thanks…..


This shows the gap as it sits in place “relaxed” without anything holding it there.

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Is it safe to full the sides of the windshield in like this ? If I do, then it fits the boot cowl well.

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In the photo below I’m pointing to the forward fuel line. Should I raise the fuel line, or alter the windshield?

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[N942VT]

Normal to have to flex the windshield a little. You can run a ratchet strap around the windshield to tuck it in before drilling to the side post. That’s why I’ve always run the fuel line and wires on the inside of that post and just over the top of the upper door tube. The fuel outlet is at least that high anyway with the tank installed and tightened down. Make a cover if the look bothers you. You will have trouble with the wing root fairings the way it is.

[Nev]

Thanks - that answers the main questions well, appreciated.

[Bcone1381]

I routed mine like your Nev. I wonder if I should re-fabricate them.

[AKKen07]

I wanted to mention one thing I noticed with my windshield while dry fitting it over the last couple of years. Those sides started to get farther apart, farther from the posts they attach to. I realized that the way I had it sitting on the ground encouraged them to spread and they retained that new position. Not sure I explained that well but I now have them strapped into the original position as it sits waiting patiently to be installed...

[Nev]

Interesting. I wonder if mine have done the same thing - perhaps taking up the new form during a hot summer in the shed.

[AKKen07]

*shrug* I figure that is enough reason for me to not worry too much about "bending" the sides to the frame when attaching - it should accept the new position over time so I don't expect it to add much stress to the thing.

[Nev]

Wanted to close the loop on this one the off chance that someone finds it useful in the future.

I spent several hours working out how to best tackle this job. I used a cargo strap to pull the windshield towards the pillars, marked a line on each side, and using a cut-off wheel on my angle grinder, trimmed about 3/8 inch vertically from each side where it fits against the pillar. Then when I pulled the sides in, the bottom ran flush along the boot cowl and I didn’t need to trim the bottom at all.

I used a step drill to drill the holes oversize, quite pleased with results.

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[rv8bldr]

Nice, Nev! I hope mine turns out that well. I also really like your Kydex pillar cover. I'm thinking I'll steal that idea from you as well :-)

[wbolan]

Nev,
Did you put the windshield in place using a wing template or is there just one way it goes on and it matched up to the wings when you put the wings on. I am almost the the end of the fuselage building and wondering if I should wait to put the wings on then the windshield.
Walter

[Nev]

Walter, I checked it with a wing template, but on mine there was only really one way it could fit so I went ahead and did it. Later when we fitted the wings, the windshield matched up well. The wing to body trim fairing then covers any (very) small alignment issues.