Canopy tinting

On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 2:26:27 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 5:49:26 AM UTC+2, Paul wrote:
Question: Is it possible to tint a canopy like a car, for example, using automotive window tinting material? I know some canopies are tinted a bluish color, but what about a dark black tint?

Thanks,

It's poorly advertised but Mecaplex offers an IR-blocking tint which I've ordered after some hassle.
As a fraction of light blocked:
Colour / Visible / IR
Standard grey / 76% / 74%
IR blocking grey / 77% / 47%
Blue / 78% / 78%

Sunlight is about 45/55 visible/IR(?), so my napkin math suggests assuming 1000W/sqm:

(450 * 0.76) + (550 * 0.74) = 749W
(450 * 0.77) + (550 * 0.47) = 605W
- ~25% cooler than typical tinted for no loss in visibility.

I don't know what fraction of either is blocked by an untinted canopy in comparison? Approximately 0% or more?

You don't need an IR blocking tint as acrylic blocks UV all by itself:

https://www.gsoptics.com/transmission-curves/

Tinted glider canopies as sold on new gliders are nothing to do with increasing UV protection. They are intended to reduce IR transmission into the cockpit and make it a little cooler. That is why they are at the blue end of the colour spectrum i.e. the opposite of "blue blocker" brown sun spec lenses. Most heating in the cockpit on the ground comes from the greenhouse effect and that is only slightly reduced by tinting but my own subjective impression is that direct sun on to my person feels a little less hot through a blue tinted canopy.

direct sun on to my person feels a little less hot...

It would actually feel a lot less hot if those areas of your person were covered with sun protective material.

You miss my point gbfwi. I said nothing about the UV protection characteristics of canopy materials. I was stating that the reason tinted canopies are sold on gliders is not to do with additional UV filtering. For that I always wear full length UV protecting clothing, hat and sun shade gloves + factor 50 when gliding.

On Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 6:23:20 AM UTC-4, wrote:
You miss my point gbfwi. I said nothing about the UV protection characteristics of canopy materials.

Sorry, I misunderstood when you said "acrylic blocks UV".

On Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 3:23:20 AM UTC-7, wrote:
You miss my point gbfwi. I said nothing about the UV protection characteristics of canopy materials. I was stating that the reason tinted canopies are sold on gliders is not to do with additional UV filtering. For that I always wear full length UV protecting clothing, hat and sun shade gloves + factor 50 when gliding.

That will help you on the ground when you are not in your glider (which IS a very good idea), but is totally unnecessary while flying.

Tom

Well 2G, it would be rather inconvenient to take off the clothes I am happy with every time I get into the cockpit.

On Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 12:37:56 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Well 2G, it would be rather inconvenient to take off the clothes I am happy with every time I get into the cockpit.

And WHY would you want to do that?

On Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 12:50:20 AM UTC-4, 2G wrote:
On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 2:26:27 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 5:49:26 AM UTC+2, Paul wrote:
Question: Is it possible to tint a canopy like a car, for example, using automotive window tinting material? I know some canopies are tinted a bluish color, but what about a dark black tint?

Thanks,

It's poorly advertised but Mecaplex offers an IR-blocking tint which I've ordered after some hassle.
As a fraction of light blocked:
Colour / Visible / IR
Standard grey / 76% / 74%
IR blocking grey / 77% / 47%
Blue / 78% / 78%

Sunlight is about 45/55 visible/IR(?), so my napkin math suggests assuming 1000W/sqm:

(450 * 0.76) + (550 * 0.74) = 749W
(450 * 0.77) + (550 * 0.47) = 605W
- ~25% cooler than typical tinted for no loss in visibility.

I don't know what fraction of either is blocked by an untinted canopy in comparison? Approximately 0% or more?

You don't need an IR blocking tint as acrylic blocks UV all by itself:

Some UV, not all. Acrylic blocks UV-B, so you don't get a sunburn. But it still lets significant UV-A through, which can cause deeper skin damage. Best to cover exposed areas with opaque material.

On Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 2:52:09 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 12:50:20 AM UTC-4, 2G wrote:
On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 2:26:27 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 5:49:26 AM UTC+2, Paul wrote:
Question: Is it possible to tint a canopy like a car, for example, using automotive window tinting material? I know some canopies are tinted a bluish color, but what about a dark black tint?

Thanks,

It's poorly advertised but Mecaplex offers an IR-blocking tint which I've ordered after some hassle.
As a fraction of light blocked:
Colour / Visible / IR
Standard grey / 76% / 74%
IR blocking grey / 77% / 47%
Blue / 78% / 78%

Sunlight is about 45/55 visible/IR(?), so my napkin math suggests assuming 1000W/sqm:

(450 * 0.76) + (550 * 0.74) = 749W
(450 * 0.77) + (550 * 0.47) = 605W
- ~25% cooler than typical tinted for no loss in visibility.

I don't know what fraction of either is blocked by an untinted canopy in comparison? Approximately 0% or more?

You don't need an IR blocking tint as acrylic blocks UV all by itself:

Some UV, not all. Acrylic blocks UV-B, so you don't get a sunburn. But it still lets significant UV-A through, which can cause deeper skin damage. Best to cover exposed areas with opaque material.

UV-A is defined as wavelengths between 315 and 400nm. As can be seen from the transmission plots I provided, acrylic falls off steeply at 400nm. This blocks almost, but not, all UV-A.

Tom