TailwindForum@groups.io

#89719

Hello to the group. 2 questions today. I see some of the W10s windshield forward base looks to be raised by maybe 1.5 inches. My drawings don’t show it. Wondering about the benefit and how it affects cowl fit. 2nd question is, what is the preferred glass thickness. My plans say 1/8 min. That seems thin by my experience on other home builds. 3/16 seems more reasonable, but I don’t know about the ability to conform to the proper shape. Thanks to all.

#89720

Hi?

I used 1/8” Lexan ?polycarbonate?

?Very strong.?

And yes raise the forward attach point ?usually in a curve ?to high point ?t in middle?

Pay to check fit cowling ?first?

Show quoted text

On Tue, 21 Jan 2025 at 9:13?AM, Terry Burch via <terry.burch2=[email protected]> wrote:

Hello to the group. 2 questions today. I see some of the W10s windshield forward base looks to be raised by maybe 1.5 inches. My drawings don’t show it. Wondering about the benefit and how it affects cowl fit. 2nd question is, what is the preferred glass thickness. My plans say 1/8 min. That seems thin by my experience on other home builds. 3/16 seems more reasonable, but I don’t know about the ability to conform to the proper shape. Thanks to all.

#89721

Terry,

I raised the front windshield bow about 1 1/4 inches but would raise it higher if I were to do it again.? I say this for 2 reasons,? first as I look at other Tailwinds, their transition from cowl to windshield angle is less abrupt than mine and I think mine carries a speed penalty.? ?The second reason is that I ran all my cables and wires through the firewall underneath that bow and I would have liked a little more space.? As it was it was pretty tight to get everything through there and have it fire protected with some steel sleeves and flexible fire sleeves.? ?I would probably go 2 inches.? It would have been easy to do as there was plenty of cowl material that I had to trim off anyway.

?

As to material I would go with 3/16 plexi.? ?I originally used 1/8 inch Lexan polycarbonate for the main windshield and the side windows.? I still have the 1/8 inch Lexan on the sides (doors and rear windows also) but I went to 3/16 plexi for the windshield.? ?Yes I think the 1/8 polycarbonate is stronger and more flexible but on my airplane it vibrated really bad due to the prop pulses.? ?If I put my finger on the windscreen during flight it would actually vibrate so hard it would hurt my finger and I think contributed a lot of noise also.? I first tried to put some supports in-between the window and the frame angles but finally decided to change it out with very good results.? It easily conforms to the slight curvature.? ?I simply pulled the old window out, laid it on the floor and marked the new piece including the holes.? Relatively easy.

?

I did; however, make a mistake that I would correct if I do it again.? I thought it would be nice to have a tinted windshield so went with a grey tint on the replacement window.? Works just fine during the day but at night it is like driving at night with your sunglasses on.? ?It is exaggerated by the fact that I have a relatively weak landing light.? I have landed at night and it works fine on large well lighted runways but on some of the narrow less well lit runways it is a little dicey.

Good Luck

Keith

#89722

Also, cant the bow forward so that the bottom edge of the windshield can be cut square.? This makes fitting the windshield easier and simplifies the fairing at the bottom edge of the? windshield (no compound curves).

On Monday, January 20, 2025 at 04:16:43 PM CST, Keith Klos via groups.io <kloskeith@...> wrote:

Terry,

I raised the front windshield bow about 1 1/4 inches but would raise it higher if I were to do it again.? I say this for 2 reasons,? first as I look at other Tailwinds, their transition from cowl to windshield angle is less abrupt than mine and I think mine carries a speed penalty.? ?The second reason is that I ran all my cables and wires through the firewall underneath that bow and I would have liked a little more space.? As it was it was pretty tight to get everything through there and have it fire protected with some steel sleeves and flexible fire sleeves.? ?I would probably go 2 inches.? It would have been easy to do as there was plenty of cowl material that I had to trim off anyway.

?

As to material I would go with 3/16 plexi.? ?I originally used 1/8 inch Lexan polycarbonate for the main windshield and the side windows.? I still have the 1/8 inch Lexan on the sides (doors and rear windows also) but I went to 3/16 plexi for the windshield.? ?Yes I think the 1/8 polycarbonate is stronger and more flexible but on my airplane it vibrated really bad due to the prop pulses.? ?If I put my finger on the windscreen during flight it would actually vibrate so hard it would hurt my finger and I think contributed a lot of noise also.? I first tried to put some supports in-between the window and the frame angles but finally decided to change it out with very good results.? It easily conforms to the slight curvature.? ?I simply pulled the old window out, laid it on the floor and marked the new piece including the holes.? Relatively easy.

?

I did; however, make a mistake that I would correct if I do it again.? I thought it would be nice to have a tinted windshield so went with a grey tint on the replacement window.? Works just fine during the day but at night it is like driving at night with your sunglasses on.? ?It is exaggerated by the fact that I have a relatively weak landing light.? I have landed at night and it works fine on large well lighted runways but on some of the narrow less well lit runways it is a little dicey.

Good Luck

Keith

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