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Canopy release

Tom Martin

Well Known Member
I know that this has likely been discussed before but the RV14 is a bit different then the other RVs in regard to the canopy release. It would be nice to have a discussion about what will happen if you feel the need to pull that emergency canopy release.
Should this be done only at very low airspeeds, just before touch down?
Do you release the main canopy latch first?


Assuming that the unlatched canopy rises a few inches, as has been demonstrated with other models, when you pull the emergency release what are the chances that this thing will come back and hit the occupants.

What if you release the forward pins before the aft latch? Would the canopy then lift up and flip back without hitting occupants?

Under what circumstances would you pull the release and why?

Smoke or fire in cockpit?

Water landing?

Having a release handle in an aircraft comes with some responsibilities. One would really regret making your outcome worse by pulling the handle!!

I worry about some kid or child like adult just pulling the handle because it looks like something that should be pulled. To that end I have added some brass safety wire from the handle to the panel. I have tested it and it takes a sharp pull to break the wire but it might stop a random curiosity or accidental pull of the release.
 
Pin

I drilled a hole in the release handle on the backside of the panel. I place a clip in the hole while the canopy is open. The clip is for when I have passengers for non-aerobatic flight. I only remove the clip for aerobatics.
 
I have done a similar thing as Marvin. Since I haven't done and don't plan on doing aerobatics in the 14 anytime soon, I have the handle placarded as 'Canopy release handle, maintenance use only'.

If I do decide to do aerobatics, the bolt is removable, and I could substitute a release pin to be used for non aerobatic flight. I did not like the idea of the canopy being able to be released without parachutes being worn. It's my belief that if the canopy is released it may very well take out the VS and Rudder or the entire tail.

My opinion is if the handle is pulled you must plan on jumping from the aircraft, so the handle should not be able to be pulled unless you are wearing parachutes. Installing or releasing the pin would be a simple process that could be a checklist item.
 
For the guys that are not having the canopy release handle protrude through the panel, what are you doing?

I also have a fear of placing it on the panel and that kids may grab it.
 
My opinion is if the handle is pulled you must plan on jumping from the aircraft, so the handle should not be able to be pulled unless you are wearing parachutes.

That is the design intent of the release handle.

Because the airplane is approved for aerobatics, it is to proved a means of exiting the airplane to use the chute that is required for each passenger (unless solo).

I personally would never pull the jettison handle in flight for any other purpose.
 
That is the design intent of the release handle.

Because the airplane is approved for aerobatics, it is to proved a means of exiting the airplane to use the chute that is required for each passenger (unless solo).

I personally would never pull the jettison handle in flight for any other purpose.

One might use this in the tragic event of ditching, once stopped. I removed my canopy once after installed and you have to pull quite hard and far out so it would have to be deliberate.
 
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One might use this in the tragic event of ditching, once stopped. I removed my canopy once after installed and you have to pull quite hard and far out so it would have to be deliberate.

Very possible. That is why I said I wouldn't use it in flight (unless planning to exit with a chute).
 
For the guys that are not having the canopy release handle protrude through the panel, what are you doing?

I also have a fear of placing it on the panel and that kids may grab it.

A very good question, one that I have been thinking about. In my 7, I did not extend the handle beyond the subpanel for the very same reason. I wonder if there is a safety mechanism in place that it can not be pulled accidentally (other than the pin in the back) which makes it impossibly to pull if in place and canopy closed.
 
If it's a real concern to you, then add something like you see on fire extinguishers, etc. a 2ndary safety pin on the cabin side of the panel, so a 2 step process is required to jettison. Pull the safety, then pull the handle. At least it would improve the odds of noticing a passenger's actions before disaster strikes.
 
I see a number of finished RV-14's out there with no canopy release handle .. is there any among you who have done that and if so what were your thoughts and how did you handle the release mechanism?
 
On my 9 tip up, the handle does not work with my panel set up. I have been wondering what to do. To remove the canopy now, I have an access panel in the foreskin that allows me to reach in to open. I have considered a cable or chain to the panel in case of emergency, but I can't think of a time it would be easier to open from the front rather than the back. I will never have a chute on so I can't imaging needing it in flight.

Has anyone put a cable or chain to make removal easier?
 
I plan to have the emergency canopy release installed for several reasons:

1) It provides another option in a ditching scenario, and it may help to release both the standard latch and the emergency release to facilitate exiting an inverted, sinking aircraft. One example is if you come to a stop in relatively shallow water near the shore, you have a bit more flexibility in how you push the canopy away from the cockpit far enough to get out.

2) The standard canopy latch and actuation mechanism could be jammed or broken in an accident where there's structural deformation (even if you're upright and on solid ground), and the emergency canopy release handle provides an independent and dissimilar means of escape.

3) I may someday decide to buy a chute and do more acro and/or formation work, so the option to jettison the canopy and bail out will be there if I ever need it...or if the next owner needs it. It might be hard to add back in later if you've filled up the center of the panel with avionics.

4) In any of the above scenarios, the passenger may find it easier and more intuitive to pull the emergency release handle than reach across and use the normal latch if the pilot is incapacitated after an accident. I recall my RV-14 demo ride with Vans at Oshkosh a few years ago...I was not given any briefing about how to unlatch the canopy, and as we were flying out fairly low over Lake Winnebago I eyed the emergency release handle and made mental note that I was going to yank it as soon as the loud noises stopped if we had to make a forced landing.

On that note, I've seen several finished RV panels including the Vans demonstrators that do not have a placard clearly describing how the jettison handle works. Do you pull it? Twist it? Don't assume someone will know how it works in an emergency. Mine will have a placard that says something like 'Pull to Jettison Canopy, Emergency Use Only'.
 
has anyone ever been able to answer the question of whether or not the canopy is expected to possibly strike the occupants during any jettison during flight at any speed? If the aircraft is out of control (spin, damaged, etc) during flight and the choice is made to escape mid-flight, is the canopy designed to allow for egress midflight or only once on the ground? I have attempted to research this and have come up with nothing valuable.
 
has anyone ever been able to answer the question of whether or not the canopy is expected to possibly strike the occupants during any jettison during flight at any speed? If the aircraft is out of control (spin, damaged, etc) during flight and the choice is made to escape mid-flight, is the canopy designed to allow for egress midflight or only once on the ground? I have attempted to research this and have come up with nothing valuable.

Read Scott's response in post #5 , he's from Van's.
 
Wiring into the canopy

One thing that occurred to me recently is that most builders are putting at least one GPS antenna on the glare shield of the RV-14, and then there's other wiring such as the canopy latched switch and LED cockpit lighting that requires a coax/wire bundle going up into the forward part of the canopy. For those of you who have installed the quick release per the plans, have you considered how the wire bundle might restrict the ability to completely jettison the canopy? At high speed in flight the air loads might be enough to sever the coax/wire, but it's hard to predict what might happen. On the ground or in water, it may prevent opening the front part of the canopy as designed after pulling the handle.
 
One thing that occurred to me recently is that most builders are putting at least one GPS antenna on the glare shield of the RV-14, and then there's other wiring such as the canopy latched switch and LED cockpit lighting that requires a coax/wire bundle going up into the forward part of the canopy.

Great points. I installed mine after much internal debate but now am too wondering what would happen due to the wire connections.
 
excellent point about the canopy wiring interfering with the jettison. All my canopy wiring is collected in 2 bundles (see pic) which attach to 2 D-sub 9-pin connectors. After reading your post, I think I'll remove the screws from the D-sub connectors and use something like rubber bands or twist-ties to keep them together

9u9kc5.jpg
 
I plan to have the emergency canopy release installed for several reasons:

1) It provides another option in a ditching scenario, and it may help to release both the standard latch and the emergency release to facilitate exiting an inverted, sinking aircraft. One example is if you come to a stop in relatively shallow water near the shore, you have a bit more flexibility in how you push the canopy away from the cockpit far enough to get out.

2) The standard canopy latch and actuation mechanism could be jammed or broken in an accident where there's structural deformation (even if you're upright and on solid ground), and the emergency canopy release handle provides an independent and dissimilar means of escape.

3) I may someday decide to buy a chute and do more acro and/or formation work, so the option to jettison the canopy and bail out will be there if I ever need it...or if the next owner needs it. It might be hard to add back in later if you've filled up the center of the panel with avionics.

4) In any of the above scenarios, the passenger may find it easier and more intuitive to pull the emergency release handle than reach across and use the normal latch if the pilot is incapacitated after an accident. I recall my RV-14 demo ride with Vans at Oshkosh a few years ago...I was not given any briefing about how to unlatch the canopy, and as we were flying out fairly low over Lake Winnebago I eyed the emergency release handle and made mental note that I was going to yank it as soon as the loud noises stopped if we had to make a forced landing.

On that note, I've seen several finished RV panels including the Vans demonstrators that do not have a placard clearly describing how the jettison handle works. Do you pull it? Twist it? Don't assume someone will know how it works in an emergency. Mine will have a placard that says something like 'Pull to Jettison Canopy, Emergency Use Only'.

Reading this has pretty much convinced me to install the jettison handle. It means I'll have to find some room in the radio stack but I hadn't fully considered numbers 1, 2 and 4. Well thought-out and convincing.
 
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