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If your RV flips on landing...
The AOPA Air Safety Institute has a well-done podcast on this topic, talking with Patty Wagstaff whose Bonanza ran off the runway, apparently due to a locked brake, hit a berm, and flipped over. They wound up exiting through the window emergency exit as the door could not be opened. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/...ts/there-i-was
A few takeaways: * She used to carry a canopy breaker only in her Extra, now she takes it in every plane that she flies; * In the accident, small cockpits items went everywhere. (I can imagine that an unsecured canopy breaker could get lost and unreachable in an accident if it wasn't secured in easy reach); * Make sure that those small items can't hurt you in such an accident; * In some airplanes (e.g. Navion), the fuselage can distort enough in an accident that the canopy cannot be slid open; * Even though the accident occurred at a towered airport, help was relatively slow to arrive. If there had been a fire... Highly recommended. And I'm reminded of an Arizona RV-3 off field landing quite some years ago where the plane flipped and the pilot was unable to extricate himself. Help came about 45 minutes later, if I recall correctly... Ed |
A friend flipped his RV-4 in an off airport landing, got trapped, and had to use his cell phone to call for help/extraction. He was unhurt.
He said it was a long time to spend upside down trapped in an RV-4. |
I love the unlimited view from our RV canopies.....but being trapped upside-down is my biggest concern for an off-airport landing....
This has been discussed who-knows-how-many-times over the years and there still isn't an ideal remedy, just the nature of the RV design. |
I bought the flyboys canopy breaker tool. Of all the bad things that can happen, being trapped inside is a very likely scenario, and one I don?t want to find myself in. Very important tool to have, imho.
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I was trapped in a convertible car that flipped and was pouring out fuel, was not a fun thing.
A few years ago a buddy ground loped his Aerobatic bi plane, and was stuck, he told me make sure you don?t undo the seat belt cause then your ON the canopy. His high wing would have allowed the canopy to slide without him being on it. Doesn?t really matter on my RV cause its a tip up. I also carry a knife with a glass breaker on the end, not sure it?s robust enough. Weight keeps me from adding a larger one. |
Bob hoover
?Fly the plane as far into the crash as you possibly can?
Bob Hoover. I?m not making fun of this thread .. you play the cards your dealt at the moment their dealt.. can?t Monday morning quarterback. I raced cars a few years local oval track and there definitely is a way about crashing .. I can?t explain except to say stay at the wheel or stick and stay till the end of the show. |
I have one of those breaker tools in a pouch velcro's at arms length but I also have the mindset that should I have no choice but to make an off field arrival in my RV8 I intend to slide the canopy back just prior to touchdown, that's my take on it:)
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I have one of those Air Force Canopy Breaker tools from an F-4. At a weight of over two lbs, I haven't quite figured out where to mount it. Far forward might help the CG in my RV7. I can imagine it would work very, very well if I ever had to use it. Here's to hoping it always stays in it's bracket.
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Never tried it, but always heard it?s near impossible to slide the canopy open in-flight
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open in flight
I opened the sliding canopy of a Grumman Tiger in flight for flour bombing comps. There was a max permissible airspeed and it took a bit of effort to open it about 6-8".
However the problem with (crash) landing with an opened sliding canopy is that it will slide forward on impact. So we therefore keep a small $10 axe in our RV, and hope to never need it. |
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