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Just wondering what other Sonex aircraft owners/pilots have been doing about reducing the amount of sun exposure .

On my last aircraft, also a low wing with bubble canopy, I placed a vinyl half circle on the canopy above my head. I took care to have the circle size suit my likely visual "sweep". You can easily find the limits of your visual "sweep" by sitting in the pilots seat and by tilting your head & moving your eyes on a 180 degree visual sweep, to your comfortable limits, place markers on the canopy, when done measure the diameter of the arc created and order your vinyl to suit. In my case, I have ordered a 1m diameter circle, in a white weather resistant vinyl. I will cut the circle in half. Place the flat side along the aft edge of the canopy - will look like its painted on (painting being another option).

This is a cost effective, light weight and esthetical reasonable solution to the discomfort of having direct sunlight beating down on the pilot/passenger, without having any functional loss of visibility (possible exceptions pilots routinely performing acrobatics).

I’ll be the first to admit it’s spendy, but the Koger sunshade is worth it’s weight in gold.

Kroger!

For those of us who sit high in the saddle, the Kroger really isn't an option.

I was on the same page as Skippy. I mapped out where I couldn't see, then installed vinyl wrap in that area. My wrapping skills are right up there with my ax throwing, so on the upcoming Waiex I'll be taking the canopy to a professional.

A bit of vinyl is: 0 complexity (except for initial application), no moving parts, no bulk, tiny weight gain, as effective as a blind, esthetical compatible and CHEAP!

Static window clings from Amazon or Walmart. They are made to put on the rear windows of cars to keep the sun off kids in a car seat. They cost less than $20 and the best part is that they can be moved and repositioned in flight.

Keith
#554

kmacht wrote:Static window clings from Amazon or Walmart. They are made to put on the rear windows of cars to keep the sun off kids in a car seat. They cost less than $20 and the best part is that they can be moved and repositioned in flight.

Keith
#554

I tried those. I was constantly moving them/it.
Every little turn required a relocation.

I have a device called a "cap" that automatically follows the movement of my head providing good all round visibility. Together with other other features of my Sonex called ventilation and altitude I find that I can fly in reasonable comfort most of the time.

Hi Peter,

Yes I wear a cap and on long summer trips, one of those very odd looking broad brimmed hats, with cuts out for my headset BUT there is still all that extra glare & heat during ground opps, that can so easily be mitigated by having either a nice vinyl lid or even a reflective static film above the pilot/passenger.

Clarity Aloft or one of the competitive earbud style head sets are great for Sonex, no problem with caps or large brim hats, and much more head room.

Picked up a used set years ago and got my wife a set of conventional looking noise canceling headsets. All was good until I let her try my Clarity Aloft, then had to spend money on a new set of those for her.

David A.