Doors popping open in flight

bob wrote:
As for my friend with his similar experience, his friend's hand was all
bloody from trying to hold it closed as much as he could. Fortunately, they
made a safe emergency landing at an island the just happened to be nearby.


WTH? Why did he need to hold the door closed? The slipstream will hold it
closed. There may be a gap but I defy you to open that door in flight. Can you
open the door of your car going down the interstate? Try it at twice or three
times the speed.

I've had doors open in both Cherokees and Cessna singles and it's nothing more
than an aggravation. If it's raining you'll get wet. Otherwise you'll just
notice the noise and the draft.

I've had the door pop open in the Apache and the Aztec and there's an
aerodynamic buffet. It still isn't an emergency; just an annoyance.

I've never had the door pop open in a 400 series Cessna so I can't guess what
that would be like though I would think it's be more of a problem as the door
hinges top and bottom rather than along the leading edge. It ssems to me the
most likely scenario would be the top portion popping open rather than both
since there's a pin that pretty much precludes the lower section letting go.

Every time I've ever had a door open in flight I've gone on to my destination.
Trying to latch it tight in flight is an exercise in futility. OTOH, nobody is
ever going to fall out unless you've got aerobatics in mind. So fuggetaboutit.




--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE