Cover or sun shields?

Challenged

Challenged

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What's your preference, interior sun shields or exterior cover? This is just for short-term usage while on trips. I've heard it mentioned that the sun shields can be really hard on the windows due to trapped heat, is that true?
 
I use sun shields when I go on short trips and the plane will be baking out in the sun all day. they work great. if I was going to be out on a ramp for extended periods of time I'd want some covers but I've also seen the damage those can do if not on properly.
 
A day trip to the beach I use sun shades. Multiple night stay I use the cover. Though I find the cover easier to put on than the sun shades.
 
For short term stuff I just had a light weight truck windshield sunshade I put up front. Otherwise I seek out a hangar
 
Overnight - Cover
Day trips, nadda

Tippers let that heat out really fast, and starting with the canopy open gives loads of air.
 
simtech said:
A day trip to the beach I use sun shades. Multiple night stay I use the cover. Though I find the cover easier to put on than the sun shades.
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Same here. But I just had my interior redone, and the interior guy made me a set of custom sun shades. They are really easy to put in place and they stay put. If overnight or longer, the outside (Bruce's Custom) cover goes on.
 
I gotta theory. I use a cover and custom solar shades. Thought being that the cover works great keeping the wet stuff outta the leaky spots and the visible light outta the cabin. And the aero shields keep the infra red hot "light" outta the cabin. Seems to work pretty well and is a sure PITA.

I had a tiedown customer with a brand new front windshield. He put up one of them cheap gas station accordion type silver/bubble reflector gizmos on the dash. 2 years later the window was getting cloudy. We did some figgerin and thought cheap plastic, and/or the combination of getting "double" the UV on the glass every time the sun shone. Once in, and then once out after getting reflected by the reflector.

Just a guess.
 
I, too, use one of the spring loaded universal truck reflective windshield shades for SHORT TERM (fuel or lunch stops) use only. Try to limit its use since it clearly about doubles the UV/IR exposure of the windshield, reflecting back what it receives.
Canopy cover for longer exposures.
<edit: Eric just beat my slow typing - same thought though >
 
Or for a real challenge, inverted with the cover also on. Which reminds me of this guy, not sure if I came across that on this site or where, but saw it recently and wasn't familiar with the incident (completely unrelated to this discussion, but that's never stopped me before): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_6502
 
If parked for a few hours, I don't bother. Otherwise, a custom cover, which prevents any heating at all of the interior, blocks UV from the glass, and also deters prying eyes. In an AA-1X with the full bubble canopy, the interior can get smoking hot in a short time, which spells death for avionics. The AA-5X series at least has some roof on the canopy.
 
Am I the only one that stuffs a sloppily-unfolded sectional in the window?
 
kath said:
Am I the only one that stuffs a sloppily-unfolded sectional in the window?
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Yeah, I think you just might be.
Of course, where you live, you only have about 3 weeks of sunshine each year anyway.
 
True... I can tell ya all about my wing covers and engine blanket! :)
 
kath said:
Am I the only one that stuffs a sloppily-unfolded sectional in the window?
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Apple should make an accordion iPad for the rest of us to use like that. ;) :p
 
I went with one of Bruce's covers. Not cheap, but very well made.

IMG_3071.jpg
 
Don’t use static cling tint shades. They will warp your plexiglass
 
Went with a Bruce's travel cover for me PA20 and was really glad to have it during Airventure. It kept the cockpit dry during the pouring rain.

The Pacer's don't really have too much of a problem heating up, so if need be I just use a sun shade for the rest.
 
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