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Do I need a targa strip?

jimgreen

Well Known Member
I realise that people make targa strips for more than one reason,but how many guys find they can get a good water seal without a targa?
I live on the wet coast and expect to fly on a fair number of rainy days.
I prefer the clean looks of no targa. Opinions?
 
What is not clean about that?

img3948.jpg


Martin Sutter
building and flying RV's since 1988
EAA Technical Counselor
 
Targa Band

Jim, my six has a targa band and I wouldnt have it any other way. I've been test flying a very nicely built 9A with out a targa band. I get a loud wind noise, almost a whistle on his while mine is very quiet at considerably faster speeds. Also a targa band on a tail wheel lets the water run right off. Steve "The Builders Coach"
 
No targa strip works ok but you will have a high freq. air whistle noise at high speed with out one. The 6A I rebuilt still has none but I will be doing one as soon as spring is here.
 
After doing the lay-up and installation of the targa on my tipper -7, I found that the seal was tight enough to cause a whistle on the front edge of the tipper which I hadn't had before. After tracking down that one, I find cockpit is remarkably draft free with minimal wind noise leaking through. Additionally, even with the annual Oshkosh deluge, I had no water leakage into the cockpit. One minor detail, use good quality structural glue! Somewhere in Oregon there's a farmer wondering about this strange fiberglass part that fell from the sky (I like my 2nd targa much better)!:D
 
Glenn,

That is a four ply lay-up done in place. The side of the frame is covered with a single ply to hide the screws and rivets giving the canopy that seamless look. Like others have pointed out it eliminates wind noise and ther are no drafts in the cockpit.

Martin Sutter
building and flying RV's since 1988
EAA Technical Counselor
 
Not going with a targa strip... yet

Admittedly I'm not flying yet, but my tip-up fits like the door of a bank vault. :D So I'm not fab'ing a targa strip now, figgerin' I can always add one later.
 
I realise that people make targa strips for more than one reason,but how many guys find they can get a good water seal without a targa?
I live on the wet coast and expect to fly on a fair number of rainy days.
I prefer the clean looks of no targa. Opinions?

Actually, I think you have it backwards. I think the targa adds to the looks but doesn not change much for water leaking...

I have 250hrs each side of installing my targa strip and I love it... Better looks, quiter, smoother for the airflow (I picked up at least 10 kts ;->

Maybe it helps keep out the water somewhat, but most of the water problems come from the front of the canopy and around the aft portion of the back canopy.

My plane definately looks better with the targa...
 
I kept the gap between the front and rear canopy nice and close when I built. I hated to cover such a nice looking joint. I used a small "P" seal held in place by the rear canopy half and compressed the bulb with the front half to address wind and rain issues. Looked and worked great.

Roberta
 
N168TX has been flying for 17 years now without a "strip".
I've flown quite a few airplanes with and without the Targa strip. In the airplanes I've flown, I don't notice a difference. To me it's an owner's preference. If you like the looks, add one, if not, don't.
 
This is an interesting read for me....

I have been debating with myself this same question, should I get the fiberglass out and build the strip. I have been flying three year, but not very often in the rain.
The little rain I have been in didn't come in the back of the tip-up. Some got in when I got out. :p
I have a cover which I think would take care of thing on the ground when I park outside.
My cut isn't as good as Roberta's, but you need to get close to see what I did wrong and by that time you would be looking at my not so perfect paint job.:eek:
I don't hear any noise, but do think that air leaks out around the back. I don't have any seal material there, maybe I should try that.
I have been wondering about the drag effect of that 1/8 inch gap. One time I forgot to completely secure my latch and noticed the loss of performance when I reached cruse alt. I noted that for the engine setting I was flying about 8 kts slower. That when I notice that the back of the canopy was being pulled up about 1/2 inch. I was able to finish latching correctly and picked back up my speed. I didn't notice any extra noise.

Kent
 
To targa or not

Thanks guys. Lots of ideas to digest. I was surprised by the reports of speed increases. Must be some tricky aerodynamics at work there.
I guess I have realised that I don't need to do it right away. I'll get the never ending project airborne, then I can work on the refinements at my leisure.

Martin, that canopy is a work of art!
 
Speed increase?

Having some experience with targa strips, I don't think speed increase should be a criteria for putting a strip on. If it was to increase or decrease speed I don't think it would be measurable. I think the comment made about a 10kt increase was tongue in cheek. To get accurate speed increase numbers it takes several flights. The way to determine a speed change, you need similar aircraft weight before and after the change. Same altitudes for both tests. Same temperatures both flights. The exact same manifold pressure and rpm's. I personally do a three way GPS run 120* 240* and 360* I do this twice and divide my speeds by 6. I give myself a + or - 2mph or kts margin for error. Once I do this for several flights over several days I tighten my margin for error. Sorry about getting off track here. Steve " The Builders Coach"
 
Blast from the past....

After doing the lay-up and installation of the targa on my tipper -7, I found that the seal was tight enough to cause a whistle on the front edge of the tipper which I hadn't had before. After tracking down that one, I find cockpit is remarkably draft free with minimal wind noise leaking through. Additionally, even with the annual Oshkosh deluge, I had no water leakage into the cockpit. One minor detail, use good quality structural glue! Somewhere in Oregon there's a farmer wondering about this strange fiberglass part that fell from the sky (I like my 2nd targa much better)!:D

Jim, what structural glue did you finally use to attach your targa?
 
Jim, what structural glue did you finally use to attach your targa?

I used a urethane adhesive I got from McMaster. It indicated that it worked with Acrylic. Also put on 4 pop rivets just for safety. Hasn't budged in 6 years.

Larry
 
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