Skylight question.

[R Rinker]

I am wondering..from those who are flying...how practical is the lexan skylight?? It would be nice to use that area for a nice aluminum ground plane for the vhf antenna. The only time I can see it might really be worth it, would be in a maneuver where you are turning back to get a visual on an object that you passed. With a hard top, you have to judge and fly by guess for a while, but with that you could acquire a visual on your target much faster in that situation. Any body have any second thoughts about it after real world experience?? It would be nice to darken the panel environment a little and not have the sun shining on your head, the tablets and electronic screens. If you have the antenna on the turtle deck, then you have to disconnect it when you fold the wings, because you have to remove the turtle deck...right? I'm looking for a unanimous vote in favor of the skylight, but just wondered if I'd get it...

[HS-JAT]

I like lexan on the turtle deck, but I put white sticker over the whole top of my skylight, minus about 3-4 inches towards the wing tanks. That little gap of light has worked out well to help check tank levels.

For me the sun is too strong where I live, and I have no desire to be baked by it through the skylight. Sure I get the whole visability out the roof in a steep turn, but there have been many great planes through history which did a fine job, and had no glass above the pilots heads.

You could have the best of both worlds however....build your roof from aluminum, but have some smaller windows strategically placed to allow you some vision in a steep turn. You could offset the window towards the fuel tank so it would let some light shine on the tanks, and still allow you vision in a steep turn.

[alan]

I personally really like the skylight. In a steep turn from down wind to base to final I can locate the strip much easier. Just because there have been many (most) high wings without the skylight doesn't mean it's a good idea to not have it. The wing will block out a lot of your upward visibility; with the skylight you get a good bit of that back.

Add tint to it and/or a sliding sun shade.

I wouldn't cover it with aluminum at all.

As for a ground plane, I added a 24" piece of aluminum aft of the turtle deck under the fabric and mounted the com antenna there.

Alan

[stede52]

Rodger,
personally I like the lexan skylight for overhead visibility, however, I like a dark tint to keep the cockpit from tuning into an oven. I like the turtle deck to be metal for my antenna ground plane, however, I also like to put a good size tinted window in it because it gives me full visibility of the tail section and more important if another plane is coming in behind me. This with the side windows will give you the optimal visibility in a highlander which is really important to me.

[gkremers]

The skylight and small eyebrow windows in the baggage area are Gray 2074. A very dark tint but in sunlight very easy to see out. I believe it allows 13% of the visible light and 24% solar energy.

My antenna is on the turtle deck, you must disconnect before removing. It will take me longer to remove the additional screws attaching the "turtle deck to flap close out pieces" than the antenna quick disconnect.

Gary

[levyland]

I agree with Steve on this one. Go tinted and go skylight. I went a little nutty with the amount of glass panels in mine, but the visibility is excellent. If it gets too hot like Pete's in Thailand (isn't everything hot?) then you can always chuck some sticky shade material over it.

[User GDS]

My skylight is covered with a black, screen-like automotive windshield sun blocker. It let's in some light but I can't see through it. It's hot where I fly and I don't have all that much hair on my head. I installed nutplates in the fore and aft header brackets to mount the shield: The original plan was to put an accordion type sunshield there but after flying it for awhile, I don't think I'll ever want to open it up.

I still like Lexan for the top. It's inexpensive, easy to work and easy to replace. I put my antennae dead center on the turtle deck, it's very easy to disconnect for removal.

[taildrgfun]

It's better for poppin' balloons with see thru TD. I get all the top Lexan tinted just like auto glass, I can see out and it reflects the heat away.