lml@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

You cannot hold the door closed no matter how hard you try if the latches are not latched even on the ground when you add full power. The door seal will NOT keep the door closed in flight, but may on the take off roll. When the door departs the airplane, the person flying in the left seat will likely lose his/her headset, glasses, hat or anything that's not tied down. The headset will probably end up in the back seat. The noise is extremely loud even with noise cancelling headsets, although turning up the volume on the audio panel to the maximum level allows you to hear ATC marginally if you can manage to get the headset back on. The airplane flight characteristics don't change all that much, but does slow you down quickly.
I've had the door pop open and catch on the latch numerous times in ES and non P IV's. You can equate the sound to that of a small nuclear explosion right next to your head. You cannot close and latch the door(over center) unless you slow the airplane way down. I would say the person who mentioned the fact they don't wear a parachute because they couldn't get out anyway is correct unless you could slow the plane down, and if you are needing to bail out, you likely don't have control of the airplane anyway, so no way you could open the door past the first "safety" latch.

Ron

----- Original Message -----

From: Ted Noel

Sent: 02/03/12 08:02 AM

To: lml@lancaironline.net

Subject: [LML] Re: LML IV-P Door

This raises a question. If a bailout became necessary, would it be made easier by leaving the seal inflated when releasing the latches? I've tried to open the door with the seal inflated but all latches open. I can't do it. Perhaps the seal would hold enough to release the latches properly and the deflate the seal

Ted Noel