Canopy breaking tools
 

Hi All

I know this topic has been discussed at lenght before but I couldn't find the info so here it goes again ..

Last sunday on our grass strip , a good friend of mine crashed his Mustang 2 on take off and I had to break the canopy by hand ( a lot thicker than an RV Canopy btw( almost 3/8 '' for the windshield ) to pull them out of the inverted aircraft and when doing so I cut my hands in a few places.

After the fact, it brought back to light how hard it is to break a canopy when it is resting on firm ground with the weight of the aircraft on top of it.It also made me more aware of how hard if not impossible to get out of an RV ( or any other bubble canopy aircraft ) once it is inverted.

I know some of us here are using canopy breaker like we used to have in the Air Force and I would like to know where I could buy a few of them ( some of my friends want one too ).

Thank you for your help.

Bruno
rv4@videotron.ca

BTW: My friend suffered 7 broken vertabreas and a few broken ribs but he should recover fully. The doctors who operated on him, told him that he was extremely lucky to be alive or not paralysed..

The aircraft is a total loss.

Egress Tool
 

After I saw this thread:
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...opy+break+tool

which at the end of had a link to this page:
http://www.europa.com/~swayze/RV-7A/...05Meeting.html

which linked to this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63eMVRQkM6c&noredirect=1

I ordered a bunch of these tools for Oshkosh:


http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Emerge.../#.UjJHIcasiSo

Unfortunately nobody bought them at $13ea, tried $9 the next year. This year $7ea. Free with any canopy cover order??

-

9MM or 40 Cal
 

Carry a compact 9MM or 40 Cal pistol. Will get you out of your canopy/window and provides good protection over terrain and in survival mode. Also carry a USMC Kbar knife...good multi-purpose survival tool.

Have a survival kit too? I carry a complete 2 person, store bought kit and only leave it behind (rarely) for weight.

Gordon

Lancair ES N144GP

Escape Tools
 

Hi Mike

It looks like a nice little tool but it doesn't seem to have the critical mass to provide a good bang vs these orange hammers we see in one of your links..

Gordon
Living in Canada where Gun controls in a normal thing, if I carried a 9mm or a 40 Cal pistol, I wouldn't have to worry about a canopy breaking Tools to get me out of the aircraft...

There will be a few dozens cops surrounding the aircraft to help me out of it..:D

Thanks for the info guys, keep the ideas coming.

Bruno
rv4@videotron.ca

Life Hammer
 

Here is the test thread.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...reaking+canopy

I bought one.

I bought the LifeHammer based on the tests shown in the links in the posts above.

However, as I continued to make and collect the items to complete the "travel bag", I realized that what I really wanted was a canopy cracker that could double as the hammer I use for tiedown stakes. The LifeHammer is too light (which was a positive at the time).

I do not have a solution yet. I just wanted to post the point in order to cause thought by others.

Here's a much better solution. Apparently has a 30 minute battery life. you can just cut a whole through the side of the fuselage.

Fuel Leak
 

I'd be careful with this tool around a fuel leak....especially if you're trapped inside:eek:

Make a canopy cover for the high-performance RV-12, and I'll order one (and would like a free escape tool, please :D )

Okay, How about this one?