X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:39:44 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from smtp134.iad.emailsrvr.com ([207.97.245.134] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.2) with ESMTPS id 2867008 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:07:40 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=207.97.245.134; envelope-from=marknlisa@hometel.com Received: from relay3.r3.iad.emailsrvr.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by relay3.r3.iad.emailsrvr.com (SMTP Server) with ESMTP id B72A844C164 for ; Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:07:00 -0400 (EDT) Received: from hometel.com (webmail10.webmail.iad.mlsrvr.com [192.168.1.107]) by relay3.r3.iad.emailsrvr.com (SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 87BD144C0A0 for ; Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:07:00 -0400 (EDT) Received: by webmail.hometel.com (Authenticated sender: marknlisa@hometel.com, from: marknlisa@hometel.com) with HTTP; Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:07:00 -0500 (CDT) X-Original-Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:07:00 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Opening doors/hatches inflight From: marknlisa@hometel.com X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" Reply-To: marknlisa@hometel.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative;boundary="----=_20080422080700_65240" Importance: Normal X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-Type: 2 X-Original-Message-ID: <54811.192.168.1.35.1208869620.webmail@192.168.1.35> X-Mailer: webmail6.6.1 ------=_20080422080700_65240 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =0A=0A=0A=0A=0AMatt Reeves [mattreeves@yahoo.com] wrote:=0A=0A =0A=0A> Alth= ough all of my instructors taught me to crack the door open in a Cessna or = Piper if you're going=0A=0A> down, they also taught me NOT to actually do i= t unless you are really going down, just review it in your=0A=0A> mind and = on your checklist.=0A=0A =0A=0AI question this technique for reasons I've a= lready stated. Let's try this from another angle...=0A=0A =0A=0AWhat is the= goal of opening a door ahead of a crash? Is it to make it "easier" to egre= ss, or to make it "easier" for rescue personnel to get to you?=0A=0A =0A=0A= Given the flimsy materials these aircraft are made from, I can't imagine th= e door of a spam can getting jammed such that it couldn't be forced open wi= th very little effort. Let's say the (near) impossible does happen, however= , and the door becomes jammed, or the position of the fuselage is such that= the door can't be opened. The side windows in the average spam can are so = thin you could probably pop one out (or break it) with a sharp blow from an= elbow. Bracing your back on one side of the cockpit and pushing with your = foot would probably be even easier. A rescuer would have little difficulty = kicking one in from the outside.=0A=0A =0A=0AThe Legacy is a little differe= nt. If the aircraft overturns and breaks the vertical stab off, the full we= ight of the fuselage will likely end up sitting on the canopy. If you haven= 't modified your kit to allow for removal of a baggage window you aren't go= ing anywhere until help arrives -- opening the canopy ahead of the landing = does nothing for you in this situation. The small cockpit makes any ax larg= e enough to be effective on the thick plexiglass useless. The small "resuce= hammer" you'll find in the automotive section of your local Wally-World ha= s a short handle and a sharp, metallic point intended to break safety glass= -- it's unlikely this tool will work on plexiglass.=0A=0A =0A=0AIf you win= d up inverted and the vertical stab is intact, it might leave enough room t= o open the canopy part way, and there might be enough opening to squeeze yo= urself out -- assuming you aren't injured...=0A=0A =0A=0AOur aircraft have = such high landing speeds, the impact is going to be severe unless you find = a smooth, hard surface free of obstructions on which to touch down. Your be= st chance to walk away from an off-airport landing is to keep your wits, ch= oose the BEST AVAILABLE landing site and fly the aircraft all the way down.= A landing at the lowest possible speed with the wings level gives you and = your passenger the best chance at survival.=0A=0A =0A=0AJust about any othe= r scenario will render the canopy open/closed argument moot. Unless you are= very lucky, you will be dependant on someone else to get you out of the ai= rcraft because your injuries will preclude any egress attempt. In this case= , I want a canopy there to give me as much protection as possible from debr= is, fuel or fire until help arrives.=0A=0A =0A=0AI say don't waste your tim= e worrying about the canopy if your engine quits. Instead, focus on the pri= orities:=0A=0A =0A=0AFly the aircraft=0A=0ABest glide=0A=0AFly the aircraft= =0A=0AChoose the BEST AVAILABLE landing site=0A=0AFly the aircraft=0A=0ASet= up approach=0A=0AFly the aircraft=0A=0ATroubleshoot malfunction (time perm= itting)=0A=0AFly the aircraft all the way to the surface=0A=0A =0A=0A... an= d don't forget to FLY THE AIRCRAFT!=0A=0A =0A=0A =0A=0ARegards,=0A=0A =0A= =0AMark Sletten ------=_20080422080700_65240 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
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Matt Reeves [mattreeves@yahoo.com] wrote:
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 <= /DIV>=0A
> Although all of my instructors taught me to crack the doo= r open in a Cessna or Piper if you're going
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> down, they al= so taught me NOT to actually do it unless you are really going down, just r= eview it in your
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> mind and on your checklist.
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I question this technique for reasons I've= already stated. Let's try this from another angle...
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What is the goal of opening a door ahead of a crash? Is it to m= ake it "easier" to egress, or to make it "easier" for rescue personnel to g= et to you?
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Given the flimsy materials thes= e aircraft are made from, I can't imagine the door of a spam can getting ja= mmed such that it couldn't be forced open with very little effort. Let's sa= y the (near) impossible does happen, however, and the door becomes jam= med, or the position of the fuselage is such that the door can't be op= ened. The side windows in the average spam can are so thin you could probab= ly pop one out (or break it) with a sharp blow from an elbow. Bracing your = back on one side of the cockpit and pushing with your foot would probably b= e even easier. A rescuer would have little difficulty kicking one in from t= he outside.
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The Legacy is a little differe= nt. If the aircraft overturns and breaks the vertical stab off, the full we= ight of the fuselage will likely end up sitting on the canopy. If you = haven't modified your kit to allow for removal of a baggage window you aren= 't going anywhere until help arrives -- opening the canopy ahead of the lan= ding does nothing for you in this situation. The small cockpit makes a= ny ax large enough to be effective on the thick plexiglass useless. The&nbs= p;small "resuce hammer" you'll find in the automotive section of your = local Wally-World has a short handle and a sharp, metallic point intended t= o break safety glass -- it's unlikely this tool will work on plexiglas= s.
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If you wind up inverted and the vertica= l stab is intact, it might leave enough room to open the canopy part way, a= nd there might be enough opening to squeeze yourself out -- assuming you ar= en't injured...
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Our aircraft have such hig= h landing speeds, the impact is going to be severe unless you find a smooth= , hard surface free of obstructions on which to touch down. Your best = chance to walk away from an off-airport landing is to keep your wits, choos= e the BEST AVAILABLE landing site and fly the aircraft all the way down. A = landing at the lowest possible speed with the wings level gives you an= d your passenger the best chance at survival.
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=0A<= DIV>Just about any other scenario will render the canopy open/closed argume= nt moot. Unless you are very lucky, you will be dependant on someone else t= o get you out of the aircraft because your injuries will preclude any egres= s attempt. In this case, I want a canopy there to give me as much protectio= n as possible from debris, fuel or fire until help arrives.
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&n= bsp;
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I say don't waste your time w= orrying about the canopy if your engine quits. Instead, focus on the p= riorities:
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Fly the aircraft
=0ABest glide
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Fly the aircraft
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Choose the BEST AVAILABLE landing site
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Fly the aircraft
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Set up approach
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Fly= the aircraft
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Troubleshoot&= nbsp;malfunction (time permitting)
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Fly the aircraft all the way to the surface
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&nb= sp;
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... and don't forget to FLY THE AIRCRAFT!
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&nb= sp;
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Reg= ards,
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Mark Sletten
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