X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 07:47:40 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from omr-d10.mx.aol.com ([205.188.108.134] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 6.0.7) with ESMTPS id 6576680 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 04 Nov 2013 22:15:05 -0500 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=205.188.108.134; envelope-from=asw20747@aol.com Received: from mtaomg-da05.r1000.mx.aol.com (mtaomg-da05.r1000.mx.aol.com [172.29.51.141]) by omr-d10.mx.aol.com (Outbound Mail Relay) with ESMTP id 602E770000092 for ; Mon, 4 Nov 2013 22:14:30 -0500 (EST) Received: from core-dab004c.r1000.mail.aol.com (core-dab004.r1000.mail.aol.com [172.29.13.208]) by mtaomg-da05.r1000.mx.aol.com (OMAG/Core Interface) with ESMTP id 27016E000081 for ; Mon, 4 Nov 2013 22:14:29 -0500 (EST) X-Original-To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: Re: Legacy Canopy Problem X-MB-Message-Source: WebUI X-MB-Message-Type: User MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Erik Larson Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="--------MB_8D0A7EC46B930D7_D20_1030CD_Webmail-d109.sysops.aol.com" X-Mailer: AOL Webmail 38135-STANDARD Received: from 108.199.253.243 by Webmail-d109.sysops.aol.com (205.188.171.203) with HTTP (WebMailUI); Mon, 04 Nov 2013 22:14:29 -0500 X-Original-Message-Id: <8D0A7EC46AD49F2-D20-4F8E9@Webmail-d109.sysops.aol.com> X-Originating-IP: [108.199.253.243] X-Original-Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2013 22:14:29 -0500 (EST) x-aol-global-disposition: G x-aol-sid: 3039ac1d338d527862951b86 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ----------MB_8D0A7EC46B930D7_D20_1030CD_Webmail-d109.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Guys, I think as a community we are practicing denial. There is a 500 pou= nd gorilla standing in the corner of the room and everyone is ignoring him.= =20 Canopy problems are killing our friends. The solution is not more bells, l= ights, switches and alarms, but a fail safe secondary sprin- loaded mechani= cal latch like the secondary hood latch on your car. A modest team effort = exchanging ideas and then teaming up to make some parts for retrofit would = do the job.=20 Hoping your canopy will stay shut is not a plan. Since fatal results are f= requently obtained, lights and switches are not enough. =20 Fred Moreno I must say, I ABSOLUTELY agree with Fred on this.... something has got to b= e done about this Legacy Canopy issue and SOON! At the very least, if Lancair is not going to address the issue directly wi= th some kind of fail safe locking device, then they should, at the VERY lea= st, amend the Legacy Operating Handbook, where it says, in so many words: = "If the canopy is left unlocked.... no problem.... just fly the airplane an= d everything will be OK..." to something like: "If you leave the canopy u= nlocked on the Legacy and get off the ground....there is a VERY good chance= you will DIE or if you're lucky, just severely injured..." I have followed these numerous canopy incidents/accidents and can NOT think= of ONE, where it hasn't killed someone or if they are really lucky.... the= y come back with a harrowing tale of MAJOR controllability issues! Apparen= tly this is not the case with the 235, 320, or 360... but with the Legacy..= .it ALWAYS is!!! As Fred said, Lights, Bells, Whistles, and Warnings are fine....but we need= some sort of Fail Safe Latch or these tragic, needless accidents are going= to keep happening. Someone mentioned a "simple safety pin through the canopy frame and the rol= l over structure".... while that may work as a secondary latch, it still re= quires you to "do something" before takeoff for it to work. A fail safe latch, by design, should allow you to taxi with the canopy crac= ked for ventilation but if the canopy is inadvertently left unlocked, to ul= timately open NO more than a couple of inches. Aren't others in the Legacy community concerned about this? =20 I know Fred is....I know I am!! Regards, Erik Larson Legacy N74FX 7years / 700 hrs in type 25,000+ hrs total time ----------MB_8D0A7EC46B930D7_D20_1030CD_Webmail-d109.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
Guys, I think as a community we = are practicing denial.   There is a 500 pound gorilla standi= ng in the corner of the room and everyone is ignoring him.  
Canopy problems are killing our = friends.  The solution is not more bells, lights, switches and alarms,= but a fail safe secondary sprin- loaded mechanical latch like the sec= ondary hood latch on your car.  A modest team effort exchanging i= deas and then teaming up to make some parts for retrofit would do the = job. 
Hoping your canopy will stay shu= t is not a plan.  Since fatal results are frequently obtained, li= ghts and switches are not enough.
  
Fred Moreno


I must say, I ABSOLUTELY agree with Fred o= n this.... something has got to be done about this Legacy Canopy issue and = SOON!

At the very least, if Lancair is not going= to address the issue directly with some kind of fail safe locking device, = then they should, at the VERY least, amend the Legacy Operati= ng Handbook, where it says, in so many words:  "If the canopy is= left unlocked.... no problem.... just fly the airplane and everything will= be OK..."  to something like:  "If you leave the can= opy unlocked on the Legacy and get off the ground....there is a VERY good c= hance you will DIE or if you're lucky, just severely injured..."

I have followed these numerous canopy inci= dents/accidents and can NOT think of ONE, where it hasn't killed someone or= if they are really lucky.... they come back with a harrowing tale of MAJOR= controllability issues!  Apparently this is not the case with the 235= , 320, or 360... but with the Legacy...it ALWAYS is!!!

As Fred said, Lights, Bells, Whistles, and= Warnings are fine....but we need some sort of Fail Safe Latch or these tra= gic, needless accidents are going to keep happening.

Someone mentioned a "simple safety pin thr= ough the canopy frame and the roll over structure".... while that = may work as a secondary latch, it still requires you to "do something" befo= re takeoff for it to work.

A fail safe latch, b= y design, should allow you to taxi with the canopy cracked for ventilation = but if the canopy is inadvertently left unlocked, to ultimately open NO mor= e than a couple of inches.

Aren't others in the= Legacy community concerned about this?  

I know Fred is....I = know I am!!

Regards,

Erik Larson

Legacy N74FX<= /div>
7years / 700 hrs in t= ype
25,000+ hrs total tim= e



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