X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 10:28:29 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from mail-ie0-f177.google.com ([209.85.223.177] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 6.0.7) with ESMTPS id 6577174 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 05 Nov 2013 09:06:32 -0500 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=209.85.223.177; envelope-from=mwsletten@gmail.com Received: by mail-ie0-f177.google.com with SMTP id e14so14670408iej.22 for ; Tue, 05 Nov 2013 06:05:59 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.50.61.35 with SMTP id m3mr15586877igr.56.1383660358759; Tue, 05 Nov 2013 06:05:58 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.64.226.166 with HTTP; Tue, 5 Nov 2013 06:05:58 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: References: X-Original-Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2013 08:05:58 -0600 X-Original-Message-ID: Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Legacy Canopy Problem From: Mark Sletten X-Original-To: Lancair Mailing List Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001a1134b62c2cc78104ea6e885b --001a1134b62c2cc78104ea6e885b Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 I strongly suspect the reason we don't hear about incidents where an open canopy didn't interfere with controllability is because it's not really an event worth discussing, plus there's an element of embarrassment. "Hey guys, I forgot to close my canopy before take-off and had to come back to land before I could finish my trip." Don't really hear too many stories about people forgetting to turn on the transponder either. "Hey guys, I forgot turn on the transponder before takeoff. ATC reminded me, so I turned it on." --Mark On Tue, Nov 5, 2013 at 6:47 AM, Erik Larson wrote: > Guys, I think as a community we are practicing denial. There is a > 500 pound gorilla standing 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 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. > Hoping your canopy will stay shut is not a plan. Since fatal results are > frequently obtained, lights and switches are not enough. > > Fred Moreno > > > I must say, I ABSOLUTELY agree with Fred on 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 Operating 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 canopy unlocked 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.... 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 tragic, needless accidents are > going to keep happening. > > Someone mentioned a "simple safety pin through the canopy frame and the > roll over structure".... while that may work as a secondary latch, it > still requires you to "do something" before takeoff for it to work. > > A fail safe latch, by design, should allow you to taxi with the canopy > cracked for ventilation but if the canopy is inadvertently left unlocked, > to ultimately open NO more 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 > 7years / 700 hrs in type > 25,000+ hrs total time > > > > > > --001a1134b62c2cc78104ea6e885b Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I strongly suspect the reason we don't hear about inci= dents where an open canopy didn't interfere with controllability is bec= ause it's not really an event worth discussing, plus there's an ele= ment of embarrassment.=A0

"Hey guys, I forgot to close my canopy before take-off = and had to come back to land before I could finish my trip."

Don't really hear too many stories about people forgett= ing to turn on the transponder either.

"Hey guys, I forgot turn on the transponder before= takeoff. ATC reminded me, so I turned it on."

--Mark





On Tue, Nov 5, 2013 at 6:47 AM, Erik Lar= son <asw20747@aol.com> wrote:
Guys, I think as a commun= ity we are practicing denial.=A0=A0 There is a 500=A0pound gorilla standing= in the corner of the room and=A0everyone is ignoring him. =A0
Canopy problems are killi= ng our friends.=A0 The solution is not more bells, lights, switches and ala= rms, but a fail safe secondary sprin- loaded mechanical latch like=A0the se= condary=A0hood latch on your car.=A0 A modest team effort exchanging ideas = and then teaming up to=A0make some parts for retrofit would do the job.=A0<= /div>
Hoping your canopy will s= tay shut=A0is not a plan.=A0 Since fatal results are frequently obtained, l= ights and switches are not enough.
=A0=A0
Fred Moreno


I must say, I ABSOLUTELY agree with Fred on th= is.... 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=A0Legacy Operating Handbook, = where it says, in so many words: =A0"If the canopy is left unlocked...= . no problem.... just fly the airplane and everything will be OK..." = =A0to something like: =A0"If you leave the canopy unlocked on the Lega= cy 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 incident= s/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! =A0Apparently this is not the case with the 235, 3= 20, or 360... but with the Legacy...it ALWAYS is!!!

As Fred said, Lights, Bells, Whistles, and War= nings 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 th= rough the canopy frame and the roll over structure".... while that = may work as a secondary latch, it still requires you to "do something&= quot; before takeoff for it to work.

A fail safe latch, by design, = should allow you to taxi with the canopy cracked for ventilation but if the= canopy is inadvertently left unlocked, to ultimately open NO more than a c= ouple of inches.

Aren't others in the Legac= y community concerned about this? =A0

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

Regards,

Erik Larson

Legacy N74FX
7years / 700 hrs in type
25,000+ hrs total time=






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