Boy, does this bring back a memory. Many years ago I was getting an airport familiarization and pilot checkout in a 2-32, the location is not important but I will say that part of the pattern is over the ocean. The procedure required three launches with landings terminated within 3 feet of a highway rubber cone on the runway. This is not the place to discuss operations at this field. I was very familiar with the 2-32 as I had done the majority of my training and initial solo flights in one. The check ride pilot was a fairly low time com'l pilot whose primary job was giving rides, these was not an instructional flights. As I closed the canopy for the final launch I noted that the handle was hard to move and did not seem right. I could see that the pins in front were engaged and asked the pilot in the back to verify the closing of the canopy which she did with the comment,"... that sometimes is just seems to be a bit harder to move the handle..." which by the way is pretty small. I moved the handle again and pushed on the canopy which did not open. Takeoff was normal until we were about 300' in the air starting a wide left turn. Similar to the 1-34 in the video, the canopy popped open from right to left. It twisted and just about took my ear off as it went over. My immediate though was to release but we were too far down the runway with no acceptable options off the end. The endless instructor's rant hit me, FLY THE PLANE. So I got back into tow position and reached over with my right hand, now flying with my left, and grabbed the canopy rim and pulled it back. I had to switch hands for a better grip to hold it down on the cockpit rail. At this point, the wind noise died down and there was a loud screaming from the back seat. I had visions of a badly injured person but was not able to turn around and check. I did say rather loudly that if possible could she fly, hold the canopy down or assist in any way. Just more loud screams. The tow plane turned downwind and I released. I had considered how to operate the spoiler and maneuver the stick. During my first two flights I noted that the spoilers were a bit stiff and did not tend to suck out at the landing speed so I stayed a bit high on downwind, this is a pretty long runway, flew the glider to final. Switched hands again with my right hand holding the canopy. Held the stick between my knees holding the proper speed and opened the spoilers using my left hand. I was able to let the spoiler handle go as I went back and forth between the stick and spoiler. The rubber cone, which was in the middle of the runway just happened to be a foot or two from my touchdown and went flying over the wing. The landing was fine with no damage. The screaming in the back seat was still going on but with less volume. Turned out that when the canopy opened and hit me on the side of the head there was some bleeding which got blown into the back seat and pretty much freaked the back seat 'passenger' along with loosing glasses and hat was more than could be handled. The final straw was that the operator wanted me to take another launch to complete the three required "cone" landings. After some discussion it was agreed that I was cleared to fly the 1-34...
Tom









--

Walt Connelly