On Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 6:18:59 PM UTC-6, Clif McVay wrote:
I've never left an aircraft in flight and I hope I never experience the need. So my hypothetical, inexperienced thought experiments wonder if a canopy that can stay open in controlled flight will continue to behave while I try to exit the cockpit? Or might it suddenly try closing and knock me unconscious? Hmmm....?

Clif,
I would not worry too much about getting out of a 1-26 in an emergency. Folks have exited all sorts of gliders in many different aircraft orientations, speeds, altitudes and with various types of canopies. Those that survived had one thing in common.....They all were wearing parachutes.

Without one you essentially have a zero chance of survival. Some folks, for whatever reason, could not get out and/or were incapacitated, and they did not survive, but with a parachute you will at least have a decent chance of survival.

Please, let's not over think this....Fly with a parachute!!! Consider it an insurance policy!!! ;-)

Thx - Renny