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Canopy opens in flight--what now?

G

Galenkillam

Member
i just bought my 8 a few months ago. In my checklist, I check the canopy twice before TO; however as I am rolling onto the runway last week, the thought hit me...... What if the canopy blows open? Slow to 75 mph and land was my second thought. Anyone have this happen? Thoughts on what to do?
 
UNDER NORMAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS The canopy will not open in flight. The air pressure will keep it closed.
 
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Different aircraft, but I've been flying a T-34B lately, and the front canopy can be opened in flight. It took me by surprise what an effort it took to slide the thing aft. Not something you could do by accident. I'd guess the -8 is similar.
 
Mel said:
The canopy will not open in flight. The air pressure will keep it closed.
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Well, almost never. I was flying a borrowed RV-8 and the canopy rolled back right in the middle of a hammerhead turn. I caught my hat with my right hand, the canopy with my left hand and returned both to the proper position before gaining speed on the down line.
 
Canopy opening

In my experience the T-34B canopy is far easier to push back and open in-flight then is the RV-8 canopy and can be done routinely - a lot of fun. Hadn't heard before of the -8 canopy rolling open near the top of a hammerhead. Was this possible because of the very low airspeed? Great recovery, by the way!
 
ronschreck said:
Well, almost never. I was flying a borrowed RV-8 and the canopy rolled back right in the middle of a hammerhead turn. I caught my hat with my right hand, the canopy with my left hand and returned both to the proper position before gaining speed on the down line.
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Hammerhead turn. . . hmmmm. :D You know Mel did say:
Mel said:
UNDER NORMAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS. . .
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ronschreck said:
I have done thousands of hammerheads. That's normal, right? :rolleyes:
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I agree. "Normal" is definitely a moving target.

Mel, I understand the post timing situation. I did think it funny Smokey was flying hammerheads and considering it normal flying. :p
 
Galenkillam said:
i just bought my 8 a few months ago. In my checklist, I check the canopy twice before TO; however as I am rolling onto the runway last week, the thought hit me...... What if the canopy blows open? Slow to 75 mph and land was my second thought. Anyone have this happen? Thoughts on what to do?
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Fly the airplane.

I don't think the canopy opening will materially affect the aerodynamics. People get in trouble trying to unnecessarily complicate things. It will be a bit windy and distracting but otherwise the plane will fly fine.
 
Galenkillam said:
i just bought my 8 a few months ago. In my checklist, I check the canopy twice before TO; however as I am rolling onto the runway last week, the thought hit me...... What if the canopy blows open? Slow to 75 mph and land was my second thought. Anyone have this happen? Thoughts on what to do?
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Two data points. I've managed to takeoff twice in ~14 years with the lid unlatched. (Hopefully I've quit doing that!) The -8 canopy will stay open about 1 inch. No air movement in the cockpit. In both instances, I returned, landed, and closed it.

I use a t-handle pin that will prevent it from opening more than 4 inches. Just my thing.

For those comparing the -8 and other slider RV canopies, to T-34, etc., please note that one little piece of plastic holding the back of the canopy on the plane when unlatched. No way the canopy is designed for flying air loads when not fully closed and the aft steel pin engaged.
 
I Tried to open the -8A

in flight, back to the stop I placed about 6 inches back, for ventilation. I could not get the canopy to stay open --- air pressure pushed it back (with great force) I might add!

R.
 
RONSIM said:
in flight, back to the stop I placed about 6 inches back, for ventilation. I could not get the canopy to stay open --- air pressure pushed it back (with great force) I might add!

R.
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Hi Ron,

Not trying to get in your business, but note that little piece of Delrin or Nylon block holding the back of the canopy on the plane when it's unlatched. There's no way that thing is suitable for the wind loads that canopy is seeing flight.

Best,

Bryan
 
Low Pass said:
Hi Ron,

Not trying to get in your business, but note that little piece of Delrin or Nylon block holding the back of the canopy on the plane when it's unlatched. There's no way that thing is suitable for the wind loads that canopy is seeing flight.

Best,

Bryan
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Oh never mind!:D
 
Canopy open in flight

OK Jon, I read your reply and I have to inform the original poster that a lot of
research has already been done in 2008. Please search for "canopy open in flight" or RV-8 "improved" airflow to see all the excellent research done by our very own test pilot Jon Thocker.
 
A6PILOT said:
OK Jon, I read your reply and I have to inform the original poster that a lot of
research has already been done in 2008. Please search for "canopy open in flight" or RV-8 "improved" airflow to see all the excellent research done by our very own test pilot Jon Thocker.
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Thanks Steve!
I couldn't remember the title to my own thread.
 
Just wondering if the reason the canopy did open during a hammerhead was because the reduced airspeed at the top?

I think the T-34 canopy is not a fair comparison since it is a four piece canopy. A fixed windscreen, front slider, fixed center section and the rear slider. The forces acting on the rear of the canopy are not transmitted to the front slider section.

I have flown a T-28 with the canopy open and that is a very strange sensation. Step one, secure the cockpits and clear the bilges for ANYTHING loose.
When you begin to run the canopy open (it is hyd powered) there is a strange moaning noise. Once the canopy is full open it isn't bad at all but there is a point as the canopy is either almost closed or just starting to open where the airflow is such that it will try and pull your helmet off.
 
A, uh...friend of mine once took off with his -8 canopy unlatched. It rolled back perhaps an inch during a rather aggressive climb out. I...uh, my friend leveled out, turned on the autopilot and placed a hand on each side of the canopy and pushed it forward. Easy peasy, no pucker. Now, when he took off with tip topped tanks and left the right gas cap on the ramp....that was a bit more dramatic. Glance out at wing as I, uh...he rolled right and there looks to be a firehose of fuel shooting out the hole in the wing. Still makes me laugh. The things we do when we are gaining experience...or rather we hear about our friends doing. :)
 
I've taken off once with the -8canopy unlatched. Didn't catch it until after landing, canopy never budged.:(

New habit pattern, if the canopy is closed, it's latched. No reason not to.
 
Unlatched Takeoff

Sig600 said:
I've taken off once with the -8canopy unlatched. Didn't catch it until after landing, canopy never budged.:(

New habit pattern, if the canopy is closed, it's latched. No reason not to.
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I started a takeoff once with my canopy unlatched. It was closed and latched during run-up, then I started to open it while waiting at the limit line for a ridiculously long time while the trainee-controller held me short for an aircraft on downwind flying a B-52 pattern on a hot day. Of course, as soon as I opened the latch, I was cleared for takeoff, and I forgot to relatch it. The takeoff acceleration caused the canopy to slide open very rapidly. The movement immediately caught my attention, and instinctively, I grabbed it with my left hand and pushed it forward. I'm pretty sure that if I had ignored it, it would have slammed all the way open and who knows what would have happened if I had continued to takeoff that way.

On the other hand, I ended up with my left hand stuck on the canopy latch while flying the takeoff roll, so my hand wasn't on the throttle if I had to abort. Fortunately, it was uneventful and I was able to force the canopy closed and latch it for an uneventful cross country flight.

Skylor
 
Ironflight said:
Take it from a long-time RV-8 pilot - Mel is right. Don't ask me how I know....
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Not a long time 8 pilot, but from experience with the 7, it will open about 2-3" and cannot be closed or opened further.

No big deal, fly the airplane, land, close it and continue flight. Don't ask me how I know.....:)
 
xblueh2o said:
Just wondering if the reason the canopy did open during a hammerhead was because the reduced airspeed at the top?
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Exactly. I have noticed that the canopy latch can easily become unlatched in flight but the air loads keep the canopy firmly in place. In this instance (a hammerhead turn) the air loads at the point when the airspeed was zero and the airplane was oriented vertically and the latch was unlatched, the canopy slid to the full open position. Looking back, I wonder what it says about me that I grabbed my hat first! :confused:
 
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