Description
Upgrade Your Current JD Air Tip Up Canopy Latch to the New Lockable Version for the RV-6(A), RV-7(A), RV-9(A), RV-14(A)
NEW: Optional Keyed Cam Lock* Add-on now available!
*Note on Keyed Lock Option:
These are custom keys that will require specific key codes. JDAir recommends you have additional keys cut in the event you lose your main key. JDAir will not keep spare key codes available to unlock your cam should yours become lost.
NEW: Forming tool to help you match your handle to your RV-14's exterior curvature.
The latch is designed for all Van's Side by Side Tip Up Canopy Aircraft.
- This product is for customers who already own a non-lockable JD Air latch and wish to upgrade.
- You have the option for purchasing just the main locking part or both latch pieces for a perfect color match or to match condition.
- Note: Our anodizing is highly consistent; however, we cannot guarantee an exact color match to parts from different batches. To ensure a perfect match, we recommend purchasing both latch components together.
- Complete the system: This upgrade provides the handle housing with the pre-machined lock slot. You can now select the optional Keyed Cam Lock add-on to receive the matching cylinder, cam, and two keys.
- Reuse your existing handle hardware and spring; and download the installation instructions below.
Click for Tip Up Latch support page and instructions for more information.
Retrofitting an older JD Air latch?
Most newer installs drop right in, but installs that pre-date our current bracket template may need minor fitting. Every JD Air tip-up canopy install is a little different, and the lockable conversion is a retrofit onto a part you've already built into the airframe.
What "drop-in" means here: The new lockable latch uses the same mounting hole pattern as the original JD Air latch, and the added slot for the lock paddle does not require any modification on its own. What can require adjustment is the mating geometry between the two latch halves and the clearance around your existing canopy lock brackets.
Which install do you have?
- Newer installs using the Match Cutting Template (RV-6/7/9 with L-angle aluminum brackets cut to our current template) — These have the shorter latch bracket that provides full clearance for the cam paddle. The vast majority of installs we see use these shorter brackets, and the conversion typically installs with little or no fitting.
- Older RV-6/7/9 installs with taller/longer L-angle brackets — These pre-date our current bracket template. You may need to remove a small amount of material from the upper and/or lower bracket flange so the lock's mounting nut can fit and rotate between the brackets. You may also see minor interference where the two new latch halves meet — small amounts of material removal on the contact areas of both the forward and aft pieces will resolve it.
- RV-14 installs — The RV-14 kit ships with pre-bent brackets from Van's rather than the L-angle aluminum used on the 6/7/9. This geometry makes the lock harder to fit between the brackets, and the forming tool is recommended to match the handle to the canopy's exterior curvature.
Installation videos covering each of these scenarios are planned. In the meantime, please reach out if you have questions about your specific install before ordering.
Common Retrofit Adjustments (Older Installs)
If you're retrofitting onto an older JD Air latch, here's what other builders have run into and how they've addressed it:
- Latch-half interference where the two pieces meet when closed. The contact areas between the new forward and aft latches may need a small amount of material removed so they fully engage. Work slowly — file or sand in small passes and test-fit often. The areas needing adjustment are typically very small.
- Lock cylinder nut won't fit or rotate between the canopy lock mounting brackets. On older installs with taller bracket flanges, the hex nut that secures the cam lock cylinder may not clear the bracket above or below it. Remove flange material from both the upper and lower brackets just enough to let the nut seat and rotate. A thin spacer behind the nut is a nice touch — it spreads the clamping force over a wider area of the (now smaller) flange.
- Lock paddle slot location. The hole for the lock cylinder is located approximately 0.6" directly aft of the rear latch, along the centerline of the latch handle. The paddle is intended to swing 90° (from the 6 o'clock to the 9 o'clock position) to lock into the slot. There is some flexibility to position the hole slightly lower, but not by much. Our match cutting template shows the approximate drill location.
General advice: Sneak up on every cut. The geometry is unforgiving and you can't add material back. Dry-fit, mark, remove a little, dry-fit again.
If you run into something not covered here, please email us — feedback from builders with older installs is what makes these notes better for the next person.
