General Description Quiet Vent is installed on MECAPLEX windows with a pop–out scoop. It reduces cockpit vent noise by 10 dba. Air flowing into the sailplane through the side window impacts MECAPLEX scoop components creating turbulence and noise. Quiet Vent produces a smooth airflow transition into the cockpit, avoiding MECAPLEX scoop components, thereby reducing cockpit noise.
Quiet Vent is easy to position and takes approximately 5 minutes to install.
Installation 1. Remove the flip–out vent from sliding window by removing two screws. Note these screws are not tightened more than finger snug. To get an idea of how tight they should be, back one out a quarter turn, then tighten it back gently to its original position/tightness. If tightened too much, the plastic will crack!
2. With vent removed, clean entire vent with your normal canopy cleaner, then clean the inside face of the vent handle with denatured or rubbing alcohol. Install only when temperature is above 70 F (warm cold surface with hair dryer).
3. Temporarily hold red adhesive strip portion of QV in position to be sure the forward “seal” edge of the QV is a close but loose fit between the upper and lower vent rails. There may be small glue filets where the vent rails are glued to the vent and it is important that the forward sealing edge of the QV not ride up on these filets. If need be, carefully trim side edges so QV front seal edge rests perfectly flat against the vent. The bent portion of the QV may have become straightened somewhat in shipping, if necessary re–bend QV so that when held in place at red adhesive strip, forward seal edge is snug against inside surface of vent.
4. Remove clear protective film from *both* sides of QV. One side may be more difficult to remove, but it will come off by scraping your fingernail near an edge or by applying a bit of adhesive tape and then lifting the film with the tape. Lift one end of the red backing strip from clear adhesive strip. Use caution to not touch clear adhesive with fingers, as this will damage optical clarity. A knife edge may be useful in lifting red adhesive backing. Lift red backing almost all the way off and then put back in place – this will make it easier to later remove red backing in step 6.
5. Have a suitable 1″ piece of wing seam or masking tape handy. Again hold red strip in place against vent handle so leading seal edge of QV is centered between vent “rails”. Place the 1″ length of tape over leading seal edge of QV so that tape overlaps onto vent, this tape will form a tempo rary “hinge” to make next step easier.
Quiet Vent Installation Video VIDEO Installation Continued 6. Release red adhesive strip end of QV from handle and “hinge” red trip end inward. Completely remove red adhesive liner. Do not touch clear adhesive as this will damage clear optical properties. Grasping adhesive end of QV at top and bottom edges, carefully press down the adhesive strip (try to bend QV slightly so the edge of the adhesive nearest the QV bend contacts the forward edge of the handle first. Then work adhesive down with finger tip to remove any bubbles. Remove temporary hinge tape.
7. Replace vent in window. Snug the 2 screws down very gently. Important: Repeat, if screws are too tight, the sliding window will crack immediately or over time as the window expands and contracts with temperature change.
