Because of the unique order of my installation, I was required to install the forward rear canopy tube before installing the forward half of the canopy. This required careful placement in space, relative to the rear canopy frame tube. I used nylon spacers to set the 5mm between tubes. The primary challenge, and the most time consuming activity, was tweaking the forward tube to match the rear. I discovered that the pilot's side of the front tube was flatter than its counterpart. That meant bringing out my 50 cent bending jig (two blocks of wood and clamps) to give it a new and improved shape. Of course any change in one dimension changes the rest of the part, so I was kept busy going back and forth from airplane to worktable until I got it right. Finally, it was actually fun installing the front canopy brackets to tie it all together. Remarkably, it drops in place smoothly and latches perfectly. I'm super pleased to have this framework in place and ready for acrylic.
