If you climb with full power at a normal speed the canopy will stay about 2". If you reduce power and speed, the canopy goes open about 30 degrees. This is HUGE!!! The aerodynamics make the elevator act very strange. You most likely cannot keep the Legacy under control. As you change the AOA the canopy closes and opens making for PIO that you've never felt before. (I talked to one of the crashed Legacy pilots who survived). Don't panic and don't try to land in the pattern. Keep climbing where the A/C is controllable. Make small changes in power and learn what happens. Keeping the speed up with minimal change of power and pitch commands. There have been numerous Legacy crashes because of this, all of which could have been prevented. If the A/C is flying, keep flying. Don't try to fix the problem.
Ron
Sent from my iPhone Hi Valin,
Check out Scott Alair's actual experience of flying with a canopy open and landing safely – this was posted on the forum last November – I've pasted in below. 120kts worked for Scott – that's what I will use if ever this happens to me!
Regards,
John
John N G Smith
Tel / fax: +61-8-9385-8891
Mobile: +61-409-372-975
Email: john@jjts.net.au
My Legacy open canopy story On a hot summer day in 2006 at Sierra Sky Park airport in Fresno California I taxied to runway 30 (2473ft. X 50ft) with my canopy open resting on my arm. When I taxied on to the runway I did not push up on the canopy to check that it is latched (I do now). When I rotated at about 80kts I was startled by the sudden noise and wind of the canopy coming open about 3 inches at the rear edge. I knew could not stop on the remaining runway so I continued with a normal takeoff. I left the flaps at 10 deg. climbed at 120kts to 1,000 ft agl and trimmed the plane for level flight (I do not have an autopilot). I than put my hands on the trailing edge of the canopy frame and tried to move it(it had been in a stable open position so far). I could close it about 1 inch and open it about 1inch further but that was as far as I could move it. At this point I decided to return to land, I flew a normal pattern, as I flared for landing the canopy opened another 2 inches. Throughout the flight the canopy never oscillated or affected the control of the aircraft. Scott Alair L2K-167 First flight April 2004 700+ Hours Legacy time Posted for Scott Alair: John, I left my gear down throughout my open canopy flight to make it less likely to exceed 120Kts to minimize the slipstream forces on the canopy. I was afraid the canopy might be torn loose from the fuselage and also by leaving the gear down it was one less thing to worry about. Scott Alair
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