X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:50:05 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from fmailhost05.isp.att.net ([204.127.217.105] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.12) with ESMTP id 3483474 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:20:52 -0500 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=204.127.217.105; envelope-from=bbradburry@bellsouth.net Received: from desktop (adsl-146-124-102.mco.bellsouth.net[72.146.124.102]) by isp.att.net (frfwmhc05) with SMTP id <20090209052014H0500aq0vge>; Mon, 9 Feb 2009 05:20:14 +0000 X-Originating-IP: [72.146.124.102] From: "Bill Bradburry" X-Original-To: "'Lancair Mailing List'" References: In-Reply-To: Subject: RE: [LML] Legacy Canopy Down & Latched Indication X-Original-Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 00:20:16 -0500 X-Original-Message-ID: <1D153329DE0A41E89A5DB8B2C663F8CA@Desktop> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_008A_01C98A4C.2F5DBDF0" X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 11 Thread-Index: AcmKIw/HjCUpYd2QRSWA/6D3JA+yzAAUmcEQ X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6001.18049 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_008A_01C98A4C.2F5DBDF0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit If you are going to do something like this, I suggest that you incorporate the microswitch on the canopy with the throttle position so that a horn or buzzer goes off if the throttle is advanced beyond taxi position with the canopy not down and latched. A light could be missed on take off until too late, but a horn would not. Oh, if you design something like this, let me know how you did it! :>) Bill B _____ From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Valin & Allyson Thorn Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 2:26 PM To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: [LML] Legacy Canopy Down & Latched Indication Hey Legacy pilots and builders, There have now been two Legacy crashes, including the loss of a fellow pilot, apparently from canopy openings on takeoff. I'm sure we'd all recognized even before these losses that the standard Legacy canopy latching system can easily mislead a pilot that it is closed but not be latched down. And, with these great visibility bubble canopies, but hot green house effects, the canopies are usually propped open on the ground and not closed and latched until just before takeoff. This makes it fairly likely that every Legacy pilot at some time, with fatigue or distractions, may not latch the canopy down before takeoff. Given this probability of occurrence, we've been planning to use simple micro or proximity switches on both the canopy and the latch mechanism to control an indicator/light on our instrument panel as a secondary and hard to miss canopy configuration indicator. It would be red whenever the canopy is not down OR not latched. I haven't yet decided if it would be good to have it green when the canopy is down and latched. Anyway, I just wanted to share this with other pilots and builders that are thinking about how to mitigate this in flight canopy opening risk after the second accident from this (apparent) root cause. This kind of set up should be a very easy retrofit for flying Legacy airplanes, too. Valin Thorn Legacy Houston, TX USA http://www.starflight.aero/legacy/ P.S. Also, if you do the mod we worked up a few years ago that props the canopy open when you unlatch the canopy (so you can get your fingers under it to open it) you get another more clear indication that the canopy is not latched. Don Barnes has this info on his website: http://www.lancairlegacy.com/tips_canopy_fixes.html ------=_NextPart_000_008A_01C98A4C.2F5DBDF0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

If you are going to do something = like this, I suggest that you incorporate the microswitch on the canopy with = the throttle position so that a horn or buzzer goes off if the throttle is = advanced beyond taxi position with the canopy not down and latched.  A light = could be missed on take off until too late, but a horn would = not.

 

Oh, if you design something like = this, let me know how you did it!  :>)

 

Bill B

 

From: = Lancair Mailing List = [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Valin & Allyson = Thorn
Sent: Sunday, February = 08, 2009 2:26 PM
To: = lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Legacy = Canopy Down & Latched Indication

 

Hey = Legacy pilots and builders,

 

There = have now been two Legacy crashes, including the loss of a fellow pilot, = apparently from canopy openings on takeoff.  I’m sure we’d all = recognized even before these losses that the standard Legacy canopy latching system can = easily mislead a pilot that it is closed but not be latched down.  And, = with these great visibility bubble canopies, but hot green house effects, the canopies are usually propped open on the ground and not closed and = latched until just before takeoff.  This makes it fairly likely that every = Legacy pilot at some time, with fatigue or distractions, may not latch the = canopy down before takeoff…

 

Given = this probability of occurrence, we’ve been planning to use simple micro = or proximity switches on both the canopy and the latch mechanism to control = an indicator/light on our instrument panel as a secondary and hard to miss = canopy configuration indicator.  It would be red whenever the canopy is = not down OR not latched.  I haven’t yet decided if it would be good to = have it green when the canopy is down and latched.  =

 

Anyway, I just wanted to share this with other pilots and builders that are thinking = about how to mitigate this in flight canopy opening risk after the second accident = from this (apparent) root cause.  This kind of set up should be a very = easy retrofit for flying Legacy airplanes, too.

 

 

Valin = Thorn

Legacy

Houston, TX = USA

http://www.starflight.aero/le= gacy/

 

 

P.S.  Also, if you do the mod we worked up a few years ago that props the = canopy open when you unlatch the canopy (so you can get your fingers under it to = open it) you get another more clear indication that the canopy is not latched…  Don Barnes has this info on his = website:

 

http://www.l= ancairlegacy.com/tips_canopy_fixes.html

 

 

 

 

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