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Phoenix area tip up vs slider?

Hello all!

I have a partner and we are looking to purchase a -7. We are debating between tip-up and slider especially considering the Arizona heat vs the visibility of the tip up. Are there any Phoenix area -7 drivers that have a tip up canopy that say the visibility is worth it? Anyone would be willing to let us at least sit in it or take a short demo flight?

Thanks!

Brian
 
This is one of those never-ending debates. But I'll chime in anyway because I'm a glutton for punishment.

I live in southeast Texas, which is hot. Not Arizona hot, but still hot. My RV-7 is a tip-up, so the visibility is excellent. You can still crack the canopy using the D-ring, so the air moves pretty well after the big fan starts up. It's always going to be hot on the ground in the summer. There's just no getting around it without a/c. But you're not roasting in there like a Thanksgiving turkey. It's manageable.

The only other RV I've flown was an RV-8, which was obviously a slider. I thought I was going to hate having the bar in the way on the canopy of the 8, but to be honest, I never really noticed it. It's kind of like looking past the A pillars in your car.

With all that said, I would have made mine a slider if I were going to do it all over again. My biggest concern with the tip-up is getting rain or any kind of moisture (i.e. dew) behind the panel when the canopy opens up. Yes, there are things one can do to mitigate that risk, some more effective than others. You can make either type canopy work, so I wouldn't necessarily have that be the deciding factor. The quality of the build, the avionics goodies, and the general condition of the plane are probably more important on the list. But you asked about the canopy. So that's my two cents... Hopefully someone in your area can let sit in one so you can see for yourself.
 
Either

I live at Stellar in Chandler. Hot as heck in the summer. I've built a tip up and a slider 7. 100+ degree air is 100+ degree air regardless of canopy type. I prefer the slider. Here are few pros and cons.

Tip up Pros: Great visibility, some access to panel instruments. Can be propped open to get air flow. Easier to get in and out of than Slider.

Tip up Cons: More of a pain to build (I've built both). Somewhat flimsier especially in the wind. Limited access to baggage area. Front seam leaks badly with no real good way to seal it.

Slider Pros: Still great visibility. Canopy frame more robust. Much better access to baggage area especially with Slider Tip up mod. I like the roll bar frame in this position more than the tip up. Better airflow with canopy open. A little easier to build but more glass work involved. Much better in windy ground conditions.

Slider Cons: Harder to get in and out of. (we make some great grab handles for the slider versions www.jdair.com) Slightly reduced visibility but still great.

Those are my thoughts having hundreds of hours in each. If you are buying a flying plane you'll be limited to what's available. Either one is great. They are RV's after all!!
 
I am putting a new instrument panel.
My the tip up is a lot easier to retrofit.

Look for the quality of the build and what installed.
Go for either type canopy if checks the other boxes
 
I owned a 7A slider, now a 7 tip-up. For me the visibility advantage is well-worth the trade off for less ventilation. The view in the tip-up is unreal.
 
Is no way do I feel that getting in and out of my airplane with the slider canopy is impaired. However, I admit that I have a SuperTrax canopy extension rail. I found that that makes a huge difference compared to the one other -9A that I tried to get in and out of. Access to the seats isn’t that hard, but improved access to the baggage compartment is huge. SuperTrax Canopy extension .

As to taxiing in the heat, I don’t have a lot of experience with that because this is Minnesota. However, we do get some hot days. Not Texas hot, but still… there are plenty of times after landing that I can’t wait to get off the runway and slide that thing back. Makes a huge difference in cockpit comfort.

I do understand the thoughts on visibility, but I found that vertical windshield bar to be a low-order problem and to be a very convenient place to mount a sunshade on a Ram mount. I did find that my perceived visibility was markedly improved by getting rid of the magnetic compass that the original builder had put on the glare shield.

The only significant problem I’ve had has been occasional taxiing on a windy day… that sometimes has an adverse effect on my Koger sunshade.
 
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All good points, I believe the slider windscreen offers superior bird strike protection due to it's more rigid structure. The forward support bar is a great hand hold in turbulence.
 
We have landed in every southern US state during mid summer, often well above 100F. I never found our tip up RV7 to have a ground ventilation issue; we just use the "D" handle to crack open the rear of the canopy during ground ops. I have flown both slider and tip-up: I definately choose the better in flight visability of the tip-up over the slider.

"The joy of flight awaits"
 
Heat=expansion.

I built a tipper - - I suppose there are many tradeoffs but the only thing not mentioned in the heat is expansion of the plexiglass.

I have had to stop at the end of the runway rev the engine and hold the brakes and canopy open to cool it enough to allow it shrink and close/latch. It can certainly be fixed but leaves a large gap to the back plexiglass when cool. A targa strip could hide all the ugliness, but I have elected not to do this.

Just don't sit it in the sun with the canopy closed and expect it to open. A bucket of water will shrink and allow entry.
 
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