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-   -   Lost RV-10 door off take off what to do now? (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=103789)

pierre smith 09-01-2013 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillL (Post 803110)
Pierre, just a curiosity, but I assume that latch sensors ensure each individual pin is actually in the hole and extended before green?

Bill, there are magnets in the ends of the pins and red lights come on if ANY one of them is not in the hole, as sensed by the magnetic switches at each of the four holes. There are no greens, just be sure that the red lights are out.

I also push against each door's front and rear as a double-check before departure.

Best,

Ron B. 09-01-2013 06:21 AM

David, if you have a build/pilot partner and when you are the passenger he is the pilot. He closes all doors and you trust him to close all doors, why not trust him to close his passenger door when you are the pilot. If you say liability, he assumes half the liability whether or not he is flying. Other than third party liability, ie. the door falls on someone.

Bill.Peyton 09-01-2013 06:30 AM

I actually used micro switches at the end of the pins. I found the magnets were not accurate enough to assure that the pin was always fully engaged. In our installation, the pin must touch the micro switch to close the connection. All the switches are in series and report to a red annunciator light on the panel, and also an analog input on the EFIS. The only thing I would do differently would be to separate the left and right door annunciation.
I am also thinking that the doors halves may have not had good adhesion, which allowed a lot of flex.
My pre-flight always includes inspection of the door latch and pins and their operation with the door in the open position. My checklist includes two separate entries to check the door latches. I always touch all four points of engagement and check the latch. I never let the passenger latch the door.

barryrv10 09-01-2013 06:48 AM

Handle on aft end of door
 
I added a handle to the aft end of the door, so when ya close it you can pull it in tight against the frame fwd and aft when you are locking it. It's a two hand operation, but it makes for a very positive closure.

Jaypratt 09-01-2013 07:13 AM

RV10 Door
 
I will have Troy call Gerald this morning. We can help.
We replaced a lost door on a RV10 last year. We had Vans send us parts and we took them to the plane. We installed the door in the usual manner. With the door attached but NOT operational, we ferried it over to RV Central. Then we finished it up and made it paintable. While it was here. We installed some after market door handels, installed an aircontitioner and the Safety magnets in the door latch holes. The door was lost on that one.
We might be able to repair Gerald's door since he still has it.

Strasnuts 09-01-2013 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Go4it (Post 803073)
Outer door skin torn at top near back hinge and outer skin was delaminated down to lower window level, the window of coarse was broken.

I had the planaround.com door latch (180 degrees) installed and door was in locked position with pins full extended when door retrieved so nothing is fool proof. Same door had popped open on take-off roll with stock Van's safety latch just after I got the plane.

First off, good job getting the plane back on the ground!

On my door (180 kit) there is no possible way for one pin to be engaged without the other and no way the door will come off unless it is not closed and latched. You state both pins were fully engaged so it leads me to believe the delamination of the door skins caused the door to fold in the middle and pull the pins out. On a 180 door kit you should have about 1-1/2 of pin extension in each guide. The cam only needs 30 degrees of rotation to fully engage so less than 1/2" of retraction in the door. 180 degrees equals around 2 inches of lateral pin movement. 1-1/2 inches of distance is a lot on each pin side to pull out of the guides. I wish I could see this door before and after.

jchang10 09-01-2013 12:13 PM

That was my initial thought as well. That maybe the door skin itself was defective. The epoxy of the inner skin with outer skin may have failed somehow. We won't know until someone knowledgeable can examine the door and give a thorough analysis.

rvbuilder2002 09-01-2013 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strasnuts (Post 803343)
First off, good job getting the plane back on the ground!

On my door (180 kit) there is no possible way for one pin to be engaged without the other and no way the door will come off unless it is not closed and latched. You state both pins were fully engaged so it leads me to believe the delamination of the door skins caused the door to fold in the middle and pull the pins out. On a 180 door kit you should have about 1-1/2 of pin extension in each guide. The cam only needs 30 degrees of rotation to fully engage so less than 1/2" of retraction in the door. 180 degrees equals around 2 inches of lateral pin movement. 1-1/2 inches of distance is a lot on each pin side to pull out of the guides. I wish I could see this door before and after.

Just to clarify, the O.P wrote that the recovered door was found with both pins fully extended... he didn't say they were fully engaged in the fuselage. If they had been, the door would likely still be attached to the airplane (at least part of it anyway).

johngoodman 09-01-2013 02:17 PM

Order a new door from Van.
You can do it. In fact, you will be the perfect person for building a perfect door.

Don't make a claim, and don't bother the sky cops (unless you declared an emergency).

It's all part of life....

Go4it 09-01-2013 02:21 PM

photo of door
 
Here is 2 photos I took of door, pins were fully extended when picked up door on runway so still think back pin not secured. Hope these links work, first time to play with photobucket.

http://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/...psb57cc197.jpg
http://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9294f691.jpg

Thanks

Gerald


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