Van's Air Force
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How susceptible is the Tip Up to wind damage?
- Thread starter Dirtbos
- Start date
n5lp
fugio ergo sum
It can easily be blown shut and damaged if unattended, particularly as the gas struts get weak. The easy solution is to not leave the airplane with it open. I don't think this is much of a drawback as I can't see any reason to need to leave it open if you are not right there.Dirtbos said:I am leaning towards the Tip Up style, primarily due to the unobstructed forward view. How easily is the Tip Up damaged by wind? Will all of you Tip Up users out there please chime in.
Mike
robertahegy
Moderator/Tech Counselor
If I need to leave mine open due to hot weather, I set it on the handle prop tab and resting on the roll bar. It's just like your rudder, lock it up if you think the wind will catch it. Better to be safe than sorry. I love my Tip Up.
Roberta
Roberta
Sam Buchanan
been here awhile
You've gotten some good replies. After nearly eight years with my tip-up RV-6, I can assure you if I built another two-place RV it would also have a tip-up.
The wind question is moot since there is no reason to ever walk away from your plane with the canopy open, just get in the habit of closing it promptly (or leave it in the taxi position) after you and your passenger deplane.
For those instances when I've wanted to leave the canopy open at an air show when there is no high wind and I'm standing nearby, two pieces of slit rubber hose are placed over the strut rods so the canopy can't unintentionally close.
Update; Well, maybe not moot. Monday on the way to S-N-F on a very blustery day I briefly turned my back while getting out of the plane at a fuel stop and the 25+kt wind shut the canopy hard before I knew what had happened (but with no damage to the canopy). This was the first time in eight years with the RV-6 this has happened. I think the incident was mainly possible due to the struts having reached the end of their service life.......and a pilot who wasn't paying close enough attention.
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Walt
Well Known Member
Had this "almost" happen...
Parked into the wind at a fly in, no sooner had the wife and I exited the plane the canopy blew down (it hit hard)! I was just thankful that I had the safety catch in the "taxi" position and the handle hit the rollbar when it came down (which I believe is the only thing that prevented a broken canopy) Thankfully the only damage was it bent the handle where it hit the rollbar. I had been meaning to replace the weak struts but just hadn't got around to it yet. Needless to say when I got home I ordered a new handle and new struts. So just keep the struts up to snuff and be careful when fully opened facing into a strong wind. I love the visibility of the tip up and would build it the same way again, no regrets
Parked into the wind at a fly in, no sooner had the wife and I exited the plane the canopy blew down (it hit hard)! I was just thankful that I had the safety catch in the "taxi" position and the handle hit the rollbar when it came down (which I believe is the only thing that prevented a broken canopy)
Thankfully the only damage was it bent the handle where it hit the rollbar. I had been meaning to replace the weak struts but just hadn't got around to it yet. Needless to say when I got home I ordered a new handle and new struts. So just keep the struts up to snuff and be careful when fully opened facing into a strong wind. I love the visibility of the tip up and would build it the same way again, no regrets 
sprucemoose
Well Known Member
Ditto what others have said. Had mine blow shut once (my own fault) really hard, and it did not damage it at all. Fortunately it came striaght down, with any twist I think it would crack.
Love my tip up.
Love my tip up.
Build9A
Well Known Member
tailwind
I've been flying my 9A tip up for 2.5 years and the only incident with the canopy was when I was building. Weak/faulty strut just gave way and allowed canopy to close (hard).. almost took my ear off, but came away with only a scratch. I was working on something (can't remember what it was but my head was in the path of the canopy). I now always make sure the struts are holding strong and check them once in awhile to make sure.
Regarding strong wind from behind with the canopy in the open position, I have not noticed any problem. In the full open position the open canopy catches a tailwind but I have never seen any vibrating or stress placed on the canopy. Now,... some joker not paying attention to his prop blast might cause a problem, but I look around for that when the canopy is open. I never leave it open unless I'm working on it in the hangar or loading it.
I've been flying my 9A tip up for 2.5 years and the only incident with the canopy was when I was building. Weak/faulty strut just gave way and allowed canopy to close (hard).. almost took my ear off, but came away with only a scratch. I was working on something (can't remember what it was but my head was in the path of the canopy). I now always make sure the struts are holding strong and check them once in awhile to make sure.
Regarding strong wind from behind with the canopy in the open position, I have not noticed any problem. In the full open position the open canopy catches a tailwind but I have never seen any vibrating or stress placed on the canopy. Now,... some joker not paying attention to his prop blast might cause a problem, but I look around for that when the canopy is open. I never leave it open unless I'm working on it in the hangar or loading it.
Paul Eastham
Well Known Member
I have 10 flying hours on my tip-up and I have already had one eye-opening experience, that could have caused damage of a different sort. While getting back in the airplane after fueling up, the tailwind picked up and the airplane started to roll forward. Fortunately there wasn't anything in the way, but I still scrambled to get to the brakes, not before the plane rolled at least 10 feet.
I don't mean to start a parking brake flame war, but I wonder if having a tip-up starts to make a better case for also installing a parking brake.
I don't mean to start a parking brake flame war, but I wonder if having a tip-up starts to make a better case for also installing a parking brake.
When it's windy, I try to make it a point to park my RV-6 into the wind. That way the canopy and flight controls don't get blown around. Last summer, I landed at North Bend, Oregon. The wind was gusting to 38 KTS. I didn't have any trouble, but had my wife keep the plane from rolling back while I secured it. It's all just a case of staying aware of what the wind is doing and acting accordingly.
My tip-up is the "old style" with no stiffening structure at the base, no struts, etc. Been flying over 14 years without a single problem. Just follow a few simple common sense rules. Always hang on while opening and closing and never leave canopy open when away from the airplane.
If I built today, I would again build tip-up without the struts.
If I built today, I would again build tip-up without the struts.
RV7Guy
Well Known Member
Tip up stiffners
The newest versions of the Tip ups come with the stiffner kit. I really helps keep it from twisting.
I always set my parking brake when I fuel. Here in AZ, especially in the spring and summer, we get dust devils that you sometimes can't see but they can swing your plane in heart beat.
My decision to add the parking brake was an easy one. ($98 and about 3-4 hours work.) A neighbor of mine built a 6 with his dad. They 'discussed' (read argued) about putting a parking brake in. Dad didn't want it. One time he pulled up to a pump and got out. Before he could get the plane chocked a gust of wind hit the plane and swung it into some of those large steel posts that protect the pumps. There was leading edge damage to nearly the spar.
In the above case, the tip up may or may not have played a part.
I love my parking brake!!!
The newest versions of the Tip ups come with the stiffner kit. I really helps keep it from twisting.
I always set my parking brake when I fuel. Here in AZ, especially in the spring and summer, we get dust devils that you sometimes can't see but they can swing your plane in heart beat.
My decision to add the parking brake was an easy one. ($98 and about 3-4 hours work.) A neighbor of mine built a 6 with his dad. They 'discussed' (read argued) about putting a parking brake in. Dad didn't want it. One time he pulled up to a pump and got out. Before he could get the plane chocked a gust of wind hit the plane and swung it into some of those large steel posts that protect the pumps. There was leading edge damage to nearly the spar.
In the above case, the tip up may or may not have played a part.
I love my parking brake!!!
