What to do if the canopy opens during flight ?

Vaughn Simon wrote:

"Peter Dohm" wrote in message
. ..
I have exactly the same concern about those tilt forward canopies; and don't
know how, or if, it is adiquately adressed. It just seems like a high price
to make egress easier on the ramp.

In my experience, a conopy does nothing to make egress easier on the ramp.
In fact, I recently stopped renting a factory made Zenith partially because it
is difficult for a solo pilot to close and properly latch the ill-fitting
canopy. I will take a real door any day.

The canopy on a Grumman does what a canopy is supposed to do and slides
back.

What a canopy really does is simplify airframe design, particularly for a
mid-wing design; but it does so at the expense of adding a whole new set of
problems.

The only problems with Grumman canopies is the $3 nylon bushing that
wears out and you need to clean and lube the tracks now and then.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

Dallas wrote:
When I
pushed the door open into the 100 knot slipstream, it came down with equal
force.

Lesson learned: don't open the window, push on the interior frame with
your palm flat and vertical and your thumb straight out to the right.

Review required: Parasite drag. :P


TheSmokingGnu

On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:00:02 +0200 (CEST), Nomen Nescio wrote:

Life's journey is not to arrive at
the grave safely in a pristine,
well-preserved body,but rather to
skid in sideways, totally used up
and worn out, shouting
"Holy ****...what a ride!!"

....and with the most toys.

:- )

--
Dallas

On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:57:21 -0400, Morgans wrote:

Anyway, did you manage to get the door shut when you cut your finger?

I was a student flying dual with my CFI (ManhattanMan was in the back seat
waiting for his turn to fly). The CFI said he *thought* the door was open
and he gave me the instructions on what to do.

When I opened the window it stayed up, so I used my right hand to pop the
latch while holding the door by the window frame with my left. When I
pushed the door open into the 100 knot slipstream, it came down with equal
force.

Looking back it was predictable, but as a student I was doing everything
the CFI told me to do. The funny part was that I was sure the door wasn't
open.

suppose you turned around and went for medical attention.

Hell no, no pussies on that airplane! We tied it off until my finger tip
was turning blue, then went on to fly for 2 more hours. :- )


--
Dallas

wrote in message
...
Vaughn Simon wrote:


The canopy on a Grumman does what a canopy is supposed to do and slides
back.

(some snipped)
--
Jim Pennino

I agree completely!

Personally, as a builder, I would be inclined to add a couple of hand grips
in the glareshield and a ridge across the floor about a foot ahead of the
seat, to make it easier to heave myself up and out; but that does not
detract in any way from the basic concept that the canopy of a small GA
aircraft should slide back as its means of opening.

Peter

Peter Dohm wrote:

wrote in message
...
Vaughn Simon wrote:


The canopy on a Grumman does what a canopy is supposed to do and slides
back.

(some snipped)
--
Jim Pennino

I agree completely!

Personally, as a builder, I would be inclined to add a couple of hand grips
in the glareshield and a ridge across the floor about a foot ahead of the
seat, to make it easier to heave myself up and out; but that does not
detract in any way from the basic concept that the canopy of a small GA
aircraft should slide back as its means of opening.

On the Grummans, there is a metal bow for the seal and latching
mechanism that works fine for a hand hold.

The seat cushions flip up with your toes so you step in onto the
seat pan, then the floor and sit down. It is a lot easier than it
sounds.

See:

http://mail.specsol.com/~jimp/tiger.jpg


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

"Rocky Stevens" wrote in message
...

Not that anecdotal evidence means anything, but my flying lessons have
been stopped for over a week due to some latch problem with the
Evektor Sportstar's canopy. VERY frustrating....

Yes, a broken canopy can cost thousands to repair and ground a plane for
months.

I have a few years of glider instructing in my background. Since most
gliders have hinged canopies, one of the first lectures any of our student
received is on the care and feeding of canopies:

-They are never slammed.

-You never walk away from an open canopy (can get blown closed and cracked).

-You never sit in a cockpit with the canopy closed but not latched (might
forget & take off with unlatched canopy).

-Check latch & push up on canopy as part of every pre-takeoff check.

-Never wear a baseball hat with a button on top (good advice in any aircraft,
but especially true with a canopy).

-If things suddenly get noisy and windy, forget the canopy and fly the aircraft.


--
Vaughn


Nothing personal, but if you are posting through Google Groups I may not receive
your message. Google refuses to control the flood of spam messages originating
in their system, so on any given day I may or may not have Google blocked. Try
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$3.95 setup fee.


Will poofread for food.

wrote in message
...
Peter Dohm wrote:

wrote in message
...
Vaughn Simon wrote:


The canopy on a Grumman does what a canopy is supposed to do and slides
back.

(some snipped)
--
Jim Pennino

I agree completely!

Personally, as a builder, I would be inclined to add a couple of hand
grips
in the glareshield and a ridge across the floor about a foot ahead of the
seat, to make it easier to heave myself up and out; but that does not
detract in any way from the basic concept that the canopy of a small GA
aircraft should slide back as its means of opening.

On the Grummans, there is a metal bow for the seal and latching
mechanism that works fine for a hand hold.

The seat cushions flip up with your toes so you step in onto the
seat pan, then the floor and sit down. It is a lot easier than it
sounds.

See:

http://mail.specsol.com/~jimp/tiger.jpg


--
Jim Pennino

That sounds like a good concept.

BTW, that paint scheme suits the tiger very well.

Peter

wrote in
:

The canopy on a Grumman does what a canopy is supposed to do and
slides back.

The folks at Zlin would disagree :-)

--

John Godwin wrote:
wrote in
:

The canopy on a Grumman does what a canopy is supposed to do and
slides back.

The folks at Zlin would disagree :-)

Only because they had a bunch of Pole illegal immigrants working in the
factory who were putting the canopies on backwards and by the time anyone
noticed, it was too late...

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.