Van's Air Force
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What extra door latch are you going with?
- Thread starter amekler
- Start date
RV10inOz
Well Known Member
I finally remembered to take some photos of our simple door catch. This was fitted long before the SB was sent out and was to prevent a door coming off due to someone opening the door by accident, and to reduce the door flexing outwards. Simple and very cost effective. Not releasable from outside though, but in the event of an emergency it would not slow you down, and any out landing all doors should be unlocked and ready to be opened just prior to touch down anyway.
DB
DB
pierre smith
Well Known Member
Vic Syracuse....
...has what appears to me the most bulletproof setup and the way I'll go,
Best,
...has what appears to me the most bulletproof setup and the way I'll go,
Best,
johngoodman
Well Known Member
That's a bad link on Sean's - YouTube says it's been removed by the user.
I've already ordered Matt's. I rode in Vern's RV-10 the other day and it works great. It uses the regular Van's handle, so there is no change in your actions. Just close the door and rotate the handle.
John
I've already ordered Matt's. I rode in Vern's RV-10 the other day and it works great. It uses the regular Van's handle, so there is no change in your actions. Just close the door and rotate the handle.
John
You tube link
I haven't removed it. It's here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRF42r5OBhA
It may have been linked to an earlier video I posted
Thanks
Sean
I haven't removed it. It's here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRF42r5OBhA
It may have been linked to an earlier video I posted
Thanks
Sean
sportpilot
Well Known Member
I finally remembered to take some photos of our simple door catch.
DB
I like that except I want mine to be a manual latch performed by pilot/passenger and not an auto latch so that It will not latch when closed from outside. no need for an outside release system that door could easily be torn off by rescue persons in the event of a crash with a latched door if pilot/passenger are incapacitated.
Last edited:
RV10inOz
Well Known Member
Gooday Sporty!
I am confused, which bit of my simple $10 latch is Auto? You push the pin down from the round head on the pin, to release you push down on the tab, its spring loaded.
Its not the prettiest solution but it is mostly hidden by the seats anyway yet easy to access from the front or rear seats.
Cheers!
DB
I am confused, which bit of my simple $10 latch is Auto? You push the pin down from the round head on the pin, to release you push down on the tab, its spring loaded.
Its not the prettiest solution but it is mostly hidden by the seats anyway yet easy to access from the front or rear seats.
Cheers!
DB
sportpilot
Well Known Member
Gooday Sporty!
I am confused,
DB
It appears to be it will latch with a spring when the door is closed but I guess I was not seeing it right. 2 reasons you need an outside release is for ground operations and for rescue persons to enter if occupants are incapacitated. if it does not latch on closing then you dont need an outside release. still the foremost problem to solve is to insure the rear pins project thru the cabin frames. I am thinking on a micro switch that will be set by the rear pins only when they project correctly thru the frame, and a center latch like the one you have installed.
RV10inOz
Well Known Member
I still do not know how you can close the door with a pin not centred. We have the alloy blocks and magnetic sensors it just can not go wrong as far as I can see. In fact ours is almost impossible, unless you really try hard to bend the door to get anything to move unless they are both aligned.
The centre pin is really just for inflight flex in our opinion but it mitigates all other things at the same time.
$20 solution to!
DB
The centre pin is really just for inflight flex in our opinion but it mitigates all other things at the same time.
$20 solution to!
DB
Nukeflyboy
Well Known Member
Door Latch
The $20 solution may be cheap, but I think it is not safe. Any latch should be able to be opened from the outside in the event of an accident. In the last year we have had 2 flip-overs and had to pull out an incompacitated pilot in one. Don't assume that the tools to break thru a door will be present.
Also, opening the latch prior to an off-field landing may make sense in a skyhawk, but not a 10. In the stress of the situation it is unlikely that you will remember to do it, and if you did you will have to contend with flying an airplane with 2 doors that have just departed. It is folly to think that you can plan your crash ahead of time, sometimes it just happens fast. I would not want to be locked in a cabin with gas leaking all over me.
The $20 solution may be cheap, but I think it is not safe. Any latch should be able to be opened from the outside in the event of an accident. In the last year we have had 2 flip-overs and had to pull out an incompacitated pilot in one. Don't assume that the tools to break thru a door will be present.
Also, opening the latch prior to an off-field landing may make sense in a skyhawk, but not a 10. In the stress of the situation it is unlikely that you will remember to do it, and if you did you will have to contend with flying an airplane with 2 doors that have just departed. It is folly to think that you can plan your crash ahead of time, sometimes it just happens fast. I would not want to be locked in a cabin with gas leaking all over me.
