|
Chris,
I concur with your assessment of the open canopy
situation. I have taken off in the 320 with the canopy open and found it to be
absolutely NO problem as far as controllability. It was noisy and distracting,
but definitely not a control or performance problem. I seriously doubt
that the Legacy is much different. I strongly agree with your advice to fly a
normal pattern, using normal procedures, and land. Probably the only
truly dangerous thing about an open canopy is if you are attempting to close it
in flight. Make the decision now, that when your canopy opens in
flight that you will fly the plane... normally... and close it on the ground.
Bill Harrelson
N5ZQ 320 1,600 hrs
N6ZQ IV under construction
"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."
Were the two planes uncontrollable or uncontrolled. The 360 is
fully controllable with the canopy unlatched (forward hinging
variety). It is a non-event if, and this is a big if, you fly
the plane first. The canopy hovers cracked open about an inch and a
half - much like the position in that takeoff photo of the Legacy that
circulated after the Florida crash. When the canopy pops open, it is
very loud and very distracting. Distractions have caused many accidents
in aviation. Lancairs are not unique in this regard. Right
before the Legacy crashed in Florida it slowed to the point that it was being
over-taken by RVs that took off behind it. A quote from
this recent news article is interesting: "...doing the best I could
to get it landed in a hurry,..." Why rush the landing. Fly a
normal pattern. Another quote indicates the gear was not extended
until very late. I don't see any evidence pointing
to the Legacy being uncontrollable give these two particular
incidents, only that the outcome of the event wasn't good.
Let's all
be careful out there
Chris
|