lml@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

What about a winch type system that activates if the canopy is opened above a certain airspeed or something similar. The winch could pull the canopy as close to closed as possible so the pilot could choose to lock it or at least continue flying to land. I know of a 360 with a strap on a retractor that is attached to the canopy. It doesnt winch it down but it doesnt allow it to blow open past the limits and damage it. Something like this could be modified to winch down if needed.
Anyway just a thought.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

From: Matt Reeves
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:35:25 -0500
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
Subject: [LML] Re: Legacy damaged

This is the second incident that I know of with the Legacy canopy open in flight where the plane was pretty much uncontrollable in such a condition. Unfortunately, the one at Sun N Fun did not turn out as good as this one. Sadly, I saw that plane the day before and it was a beauty.

Maybe it would be good to invent a secondary latching system in case of emergency or failure of the first system, or maybe even one that doesn't latch except when the first system fails - just some ideas.

Is anyone aware of similar incidents in the 320/360? I have the forward hinge canopy with rear locking system but do still have the manual latches that I am now considering installing at least on the sides of the canopy towards the back - or maybe all 4, not sure.

I guess the biggest concern would be AFTER a crash where you had to get out in a hurry AND the concern that the canopy would not be able to open from the outside, unless a firefighter had an ax.

Congrats on a walking away from this one!

Matt

--- On Thu, 2/5/09, Bill Hannahan <wfhannahan@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Bill Hannahan <wfhannahan@yahoo.com>
Subject: [LML] Legacy damaged
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Date: Thursday, February 5, 2009, 11:43 AM

A Legacy (N939CB) was damaged last Friday at Longmont Co airport, LMO, around 6 PM , almost dark. The pilot David Williams of Wonderview, escaped without injury.

http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?ID=14174

Taking off on 29 the canopy opened. Apparently the plane made a pattern to land on 29. It hit the top edge of an embankment about 150 yd SE of the numbers, 29. The impact tore off the gear. It skimmed across the embankment, through a twisted wire fence, then dropped about 4 ft onto flat ground and skidded to a stop about 100 yd from the initial impact point.

Four metal fence posts cut into the wing to the spar and it tore 300’ of wire off the fence. The ground track was parallel to but about 100 feet south of the runway centerline.

Two feet lower and it would have been a very sudden stop against the embankment.

Bill Hannahan

wfhannahan@yahoo.com