I had a chance to talk to Larry Hinman from Lancair about this during our Continental-sponsored Maintenance Clinic in Alabama this weekend. Most of you know that Valin Thorn, supported by others, has continued to refine the problem and potential solutions.

 

Larry offered that the Lancair engineers are now working on the design of a warning light kit that would activate any time the canopy is closed but not fully latched. While this is recognized as only one of several recommended solutions, and has been recommended by several as an adjunct to a re-designed latching system, a warning light would be very easy to install--and to retrofit--as compared to a re-designed latching mechanism. While not as elegant as what “could be done,” I wanted to recognize and advise you of this effort.

Many builders, including me, have already incorporated such a door warning light system in our aircraft. For me, it’s worked twice to advise when one of the eight complex latches in my IV-P lost a cir-clip and failed to go “over-center.” Warning lights, if properly designed, are very reliable and easy to install. Why not consider doing this while folks work on other “mechanical” solutions?

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

I know the thread about designing a safety latch for the Legacy canopy has pretty much run its course. However, I was discussing the issues with a colleague recently, and we came up with an idea. I should add, that neither of us has any particular involvement with the Legacy, as I am building a L360, so this idea is offered as a concept only, for those of you with a more pressing interest in the problem to throw around in the ideas pool.

 

Attached is a very rough sketch of the idea, if you can follow it. If it could be made to work, it would have the advantages as follows….

1                     It needs no input from the occupants to arm or latch it. The vane would move it to its’ armed position once the airspeed reached that required to turn the weather vane parallel to the centreline of the aircraft.

2                     It has no electrical components

3                     In an emergency, rescuers unfamiliar with the aircraft’s latching mechanism would not need to do anything to unlatch it, but would need only to operate the normal latch, because the spring loaded weather vane would turn at right angles to the aircraft centreline once the airspeed dropped below the designated speed.

 

The negatives are

1                     It might look a bit ugly from the outside, unless it is artistically sculptured

2                     It would add something of an obstacle at about head level for the occupants when reaching into the baggage area in flight.

 

I hope this isn’t a really silly idea!!

 

Regards,

 

Rob Stevens

Perth,

Western Australia.