After much thought I decided to remove the pre-made canopy fairing. I got it from Viking Aircraft. It was OK but the aircraft will have to be certified as EAB and will require 40 hours of Phase I testing. This seems too long for a minor change in the plans. Therefore, I'll follow the Van's plans and do the fiberglass layup to make the fairing. This will make the aircraft eligible for E-LSA certification with only a minimum of 5 hours of Phase I testing. Removed the screws at the aft part of the fairing. Removed the fairing using plastic chisels to pry off the part from the sealant. Placed duct tape on the Upper Fwd Fuselage Skin and the upper edge of the F-1270 Fuselage Side Skins for protection when sanding. Placed electrical tape on the lower forward part of the Canopy. Spent the rest of the day scraping the black sealant from the Canopy, Canopy Foams and the sides of the Fuselage. I still have a lot of work to do to completely remove the dried sealant. I will also have to fill the gaps and depressions in the Canopy Foams.
Made supports from PVC pipe to "lock" the Canopy Lift Struts in the open (extended) position. They are to prevent the Canopy from closing suddenly when wind is strong or when there is wind gust. Hope they work.
