If I was going down... In a Cessna or Piper, I'd crack open the door in a heartbeat (and we've all been taught that), but in a Lancair, I'd think twice. I agree that the canopy closed does offer more safety, especially if you roll over, hopefully you won't get crushed, but I do recall an accident a few years back where 2 people burned alive inside a Lancair and couldn't get out. No one on the outside knew how to open the canopy and by the time someone found a rock, it was too late. This is one of the reasons of the new, easier latching system that could easily be opened from the outside. I guess whatever your gut tells you to do in those critical seconds, is the right decision and hopefully you walk away. Matt
VTAILJEFF@aol.com wrote: Mark, Excellent thoughts! Jeff In a message dated 4/18/2008 11:32:50 A.M. Central Daylight Time, marknlisa@hometel.com writes: Even disregarding the possible aerodynamic issues, I don't think opening the canopy in preparation for a crash is such a good idea. I think an unlatched canopy has a much greater possibility of being torn from the fuselage. If it *IS* torn from the fuselage, I would think there's a good chance it will
strike the occupant(s). Additionally, a closed and latched canopy can provide the occupants protection from debris, fuel and fire postcrash. If you are concerned the canopy might jam closed, consider this: I recall a warning in the USAF KC-135 Dash-1 (operating manual) that states (in so many words) any crash violent enough to jam a hatch closed will likely provide a fuselage break for egress.
Regards,
Mark Sletten Steve Reeves [sreeves@sc.rr.com] said: > I tend to agree. I know my instructor, when we were doing instrument
> training in a Cheetah, would tell > me to slide the canopy back, stick
> your shoe in it (or something similar) and slide it back onto
> whatever you were cramming into it. > Steve
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