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Canopy open in Flight

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Does anyone know anything, or have any experience with what would happen if a slider canopy was to be opened in flight? Just curious?.

Thanks,
Dwayne
 
Does anyone know anything, or have any experience with what would happen if a slider canopy was to be opened in flight? Just curious….

Thanks,
Dwayne

Dwayne,

Welcome to the VAF forum!

Your questions has been hashed to death many times in the past with no definitive answers. Try the Search function with "open canopy" as the search string then sit back for an extended reading session. ;)

Bottom line, it is very difficult to slide the canopy open more than a few inches inflight.
 
Thank you Sam,

Ill do some more reading.
I kind of figured the same. I know at times while taxing, if I don?t have it open all the way, it will actually close on me?

Dwayne
 
I flew my 7 with out the canopy till the end of the runway. If I remember I flew the 6A without the canopy the same distance.
 
?ok so it sounds like that if for some reason it was to pop open in flight?you?re not necessarily destined to come out of the sky?. Good.
Dwayne
 
I attempted to open my -7 slider canopy while rolling out on landing at Logan KLGU.

It was HOT outside, so as soon as the wheels touched, I popped the canopy release, trying to get a little fresh air in the cockpit. The tail was still flying (indicating that I was still rolling about 45+ mph) when I attempted to slide the canopy back. I was able to get it open with about 1/2" gap, but it wouldn't open any further until the tail quit flying.

This is the only time I've ever tried to open the canopy with anything greater than taxi speed, and I proved to myself that the canopy just ain't gonna open in flight...

Caveat - I was still flying the plane, so I didn't really, really, try to push the canopy open. I simply opened it until it stopped, and then I continued to fly the plane. Perhaps with some adrenaline rush, I probably could have gotten it to open further???
 
So for the slider version, does this imply that if you needed to leave the aircraft with the desire to activate a parachute, one would not be able to open the canopy to depart the aircraft?

I realize the tip-ups have an ability to jettison the canopy.
 
Canopy Jettison

Actually, tip-ups can only jettison the canopy if the gas struts are not mounted. Not sure what would happen (and cetainly don't want to find out!) if someone tried it. The early RV6 design had a system where the canopy used a metal prop to hold it open - that design can be jettisoned. Just my .02 - I am definitely NOT an expert.

Sam
 
Thank you for the comments everyone.
Noel, your last question is an interesting one. I don?t have a tip-up, and I don?t know of any way of jettisoning my slider. I think a mod would be required.
Dwayne
 
The tip up will go even with the gas struts, the lower end is only 'popped' onto the ball.

I had the 7 open and as guys say, raises about 6 inches and is closable.

The 12 on the other hand.......

Rises about 2 feet, is a stretch to reach and does not want to come down at all.

No, I'm not clumsy, just unfortunate..... :rolleyes:
 
On my first flight after transition training I failed to secure my tip-up, and it just popped open an inch or so and stayed there. I didn't panic (much), and was able to make a quick circuit of the pattern and get it back on the ground. I kept telling myself "fly the plane, fly the plane". Shows the importance of a checklist.

Jim Bower
RV-6A N143DJ
St. Louis
 
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