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Broken Canopy-Looking For A Company To Build A New One

Plumbmaster

Active Member
I recently brought my RV6 to a FBO for the replacement of my governor. In the process of working on the plane they broke my canopy, not bad enough to ground the airplane, but bad enough to require a new canopy.
After the FBO refused to take responsibility for the damage, I turned it into my insurance company which is moving forward with the claim.
I'm looking for a facility or company who can build a new canopy. All input is solicited as getting an experimental aircraft repaired is not as straightforward as an automobile. I'm located in Concord, Ca but as the plane is airworthy, I will fly it to the repair facility.
EDITED: I removed a picture of my plane which had a FBO behind it. A picture of the cheapest gas i found on my way to Airventure has been added!
 

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Which FBO?? I don’t want to stop somewhere that does that, esp. if they couldn’t own up to it, do share.
 
There are enough builders at CCR and surrounding airports that I bet you can find someone to help you to tackle the job yourself to fit a new canopy. It will enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of your airplane to have some sweat equity in it too.

Or, try Synergy Aircraft in Eugene, OR. There is a low-key builder-assist guy in Grants Pass too, named Ryan, but I can't find his contact info.
 
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Vans policy

Its been a wile, the old policy was to buy the replacement through Vans aircraft. take delivery in Ohio or your replacement would ship from there if you were east coast based. Vans aircraft owns all rights associated with there aircraft. Call Vans! IMHO another words I don't know, I might be right,then again I might be wrong.
 
I broke my RV8 canopy during initial construction. I live about 45 minutes from Tipp City where the canopies are made. My crack was in the back half of the canopy (big cut already done). When I called Airplane plastics, they said they had one, but only half of it. It seems someone had a broken windshield, so they only had the back portion……. PERFECT! They couldn’t sell it to me directly. I had to go through Vans Aircraft, which I was able to do over the phone, and pay for it with a credit card and my builder #. This all took place in one day - the same day I cracked it. The guy at Airplane Plastics said to bring my slider frame with me when I came, which I did. They were very helpful and did all the initial trimming for me right there in Tipp City before I left.
 
Stubbs,

I will second Ryan Marshall from VSI Aviation Services at Grants Pass [email protected]

My canopy cracked all the way across just behind my head on a cold winter flight. I did not build my -8 and wanted some experienced help…..Ryan did the skilled and “scary” parts, but allowed me to do as much as I wanted.

I ordered the tinted canopy from Airplane Plastics and had it shipped to Ryan. I flew my temp repaired canopy from Utah to Grants Pass. The airplane stayed in his hanger and I spent 4 days x2 up there assisting and it definitely took much longer replacing the front also. I decided to replace front because it was from 2003 and would not match new back halve, which enabled me to use tinted canopy - which I love!

He also had a guy paint the skirt and nose in the hangar.

My insurance covered it all and I am very happy with the finished product! I enjoyed the learning a lot and the piece of mind of having a very experienced guiding hand (Ryan was at Synergy before starting his own company).

We also did a few other things to the airplane while patiently waiting for fiberglass to cure!

I have Ryan’s cell also, but didn’t want to post it…..give me a shout with any Qs.

Darren Ruhnau
N84DJ “Miss Fury”
435-659-9718
 
I'd like to know as well.

I'm wondering if there is a less-than-subtle hint as to which FBO it was by posing his airplane with the FBO in the background in the OP picture?

So, if it is NOT the FBO in the picture, probably should tell us so they are not falsely blamed.
 
Picture Replaced

"Chub" I didn't even think about the FBO being in the background of the picture included in the original post! I replaced the picture with one of the cheapest gas I found on my way to Oshkosh this year. The removal of the original picture does not imply innocence just as posting the picture was not meant to imply guilt...rather to show off my-new to me-RV6.

Thanks to "Shrubbs" a former F15 driver for providing possible contact information fore the canopy. Congrats to "Shrubbs" aka Darren on his son starting fighter pilot school in Klamath!
 
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