penguin said:
In my experience saying that a tipper is easier for maintenance is not true. I have a tipper and seem to spend a lot of time lying under the panel. My canopy also has a crack in each of the back corners. I find access to the baggage area somewhat difficult when loading up for a trip. Next time I would probably go for a slider, but haven't lived with one so don't know the pitfalls.
Pete
This is one of those topics where there is no right answer. But I'm bored (stuck in a hotel), so I'll type a bit.
In trying to be objective about this, I have to agree in general with everything Pete said (except for the cracks).
My biggest gripe about the tip-up is that the thickness of the cabin frame, which certainly is a structural asset, does make loading and particularly unloading bags slightly more difficult. There is simply less vertical space. I know more than one RV builder who cut down the tops of his seats, and I think that's an idea worth putting some thought into.
Like Pete mentioned, I too have spent a fair amount of time on my back, but the tip-up does afford good access to the instruments & pitot/static connections. Most other stuff tends to be too deep (i.e. most avionics) or mounted too far forward to access. That said, having added front deck access panels, life is greatly simplified -- this holds true regardless of canopy style in my opinion.
The "acts like a sail in wind" thing is the only other negative trait of the tip-up that I can think of, while we're being objective.
Oh yeah, don't forget about the probability of water getting into your cockpit if you open a tip-up in the rain, particularly on a taildragger.
Having admitted these few shortcomings of the tip-up, I still would not want a slider given a choice. I've been spending this weekend participating in the FFI West Coast Formation Clinic...I went up in somebody's right seat for one flight, and this was a -6A with a slider. The windshield bow or roll bar or whatever you want to call it was pretty annoying. I *did* notice it. There is head-tipping involved. I'm sure I'd learn not to notice it over time (look at all the warbirds out there and modern military jets with stuff in view), but it sure was a conscious annoyance this morning.
I was glad to get back in my plane with the tip-up. The wide-open visibility is hard to beat for what it is. If you see yourself flying formation, or doing any serious photo or video ops, I believe the tip-up is worth considering.
I will probably build another RV-7 at some point in the next few years, and it will have a tip-up canopy for sure.
)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D
http://www.rvproject.com