RV6 Open Canopy...

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by Andrew Anunson

There have been at least 9 RV crashes and 4 RV fatalities associated with canopies opening in flight.... so it should be a worthwhile discussion.
Not caused by, necessarily... but associated with. (Same as most other aircraft with doors or canopies)

During my 40 hour test period I intentionally tookoff with the tip-up canopy unlatched.

My RV-9 did not pitch down or do anything unusual.

The test card I wrote had me climb to 2000 AGL, slow to 70 knots, and perform a control check but not a stall. The airplane handled normally with no tail buffeting noted.

I then deployed the flaps and slowed to 60 knots and was able to close and fully latch the canopy without undo effort.

[pa38112]

Was it just unlatched, or did it open?

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by pa38112

Was it just unlatched, or did it open?

If you are asking about my test flight, I started with it unlatched and just at rotation time it opened up about six inches and stayed there until I closed it.

[artemas]

Thanks for starting this thread. Those that have and those that will applies here. Anyone crashing a plane caused by the canopy opening or failed to latch didnt perform the basics: maintain aircraft control, analyze the situation, take the appropriate action.

I have purposely taken off with the canopy unlatched to be prepared for the time when it does accidentally. Nothing happened. By nothing I mean, the canopy stayed shut due to the aerodynamic forces at work. at 100 kts (and a safe altitude) I couldn't latch it. I slowed slowly trying it at each 5 kt interval until it did close. Around 75 was the number that got it closed with little effort.

I will note that the remainder of the flight could be louder and more windy. Let me explain. When the canopy does get shut while flying the sides of the canopy are bulged out and the trailing edge of the canopy doesn't sit correctly. I did my first check of this in colder weather and it was cold in the airplane even with the heat on.

After landing, the canopy, once opened would shut fine and there was no permanent damage to the canopy. I think the best thing to do is to land and latch it then proceed with your trip IF the canopy is bulging and letting in air (which feels good in the summer time). If your canopy doesnt bulge after latching it, press on!

I have never had the canopy move further aft when it was unlatched. Each plane is different but mine stayed right where I left it but latching it was impossible until at a slower speed. The most mine opened was about 1-2 inches thus the need to slow to close it.

Tailwinds

[JDeanda]

It’s a lot bigger deal on a tilt-up than a slider. My wife was flying a Young Eagle in our RV-6 when the canopy opened at cruise speed. She’s fairly sure she latched it before takeoff, but says she might not have gotten both latches set. When the canopy popped open, she was at about 1000’ AGL and about to enter the traffic pattern. The airplane lunged for the ground and her headset went overboard, trailing alongside the cockpit on it’s cord. It took a lot of elevator and a hard pull to keep the nose up. She needed three hands for a while as she tried to keep the airplane from diving into the ground, pull the headset back in and pull the canopy down, in that order. Unable to get the headset back and unable to get the canopy down far enough to latch, she took the headset off the Young Eagle and put it on her own head, (one handed!) only to find that the push to talk switch worked the wrong mic. It was a busy time since she could not let go of the canopy because the airplane pitched down hard when it wasn’t held down which made power adjustments tricky. She landed OK, but it was right hairy. Not sure if she extended flaps. The Young Eagle said she had a great time, skipped away happily with her certificate and my poor wife got herself back together. She has not flown another Young Eagle. She did a write-up of the incident and I’ll try to find it and post it here.
I read an accident report where witnesses watched an RV-6 take off, then something small flew off and the airplane dove into a house, killing both aboard. The object turned out to be a headset., which was pretty compelling evidence that the canopy opened.
Vans released a Service Bulletin about this subject and much has been written about canopies opening in flight. Incidents seem to vary from minor annoyances all the way to fatal accidents. Your mileage WILL vary. Bottom line, ‘canopy down and latched’ is on our checklist twice.

[Bsquared]

I am close to finishing a 14A. The 14 does not have the secondary latching point on the roll bar and instead uses a micro switch that will annunciate visually on the EFIS and also in your headphones If the latch is not engaged when you hit an airspeed that you select......I think 40 knots is the recommendation. This system has its own possible failure modes. Just curious what others view as the +/- of this approach vs a secondary latch.

[NewbRVator]

Sliders will slide CLOSED if opened or within an inch.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Bsquared

I am close to finishing a 14A. The 14 does not have the secondary latching point on the roll bar and instead uses a micro switch that will annunciate visually on the EFIS and also in your headphones If the latch is not engaged when you hit an airspeed that you select......I think 40 knots is the recommendation. This system has its own possible failure modes. Just curious what others view as the +/- of this approach vs a secondary latch.

I haven't seen the geometry of the -14 canopy, but if it's similar to the -6 and -7 geometry it probably wouldn't be that hard to add an overhead latch that uses a similar mechanism.

[plehrke]

Originally Posted by JDeanda

She needed three hands for a while as she tried to keep the airplane from diving into the ground, pull the headset back in and pull the canopy down, in that order. Unable to get the headset back and unable to get the canopy down far enough to latch, she took the headset off the Young Eagle and put it on her own head, (one handed!) only to find that the push to talk switch worked the wrong mic. It was a busy time since she could not let go of the canopy because the airplane pitched down hard when it wasn’t held down which made power adjustments tricky.

Just a reminder to all, communication it down the list on things to do in an emergency situation. Fly the plane, worry about the headset latter. Glad all ended ok.

How far does the canopy stay open on tip-ups if open in flight? Must be quite a bit if headsets can get through.

[lr172]

Originally Posted by plehrke

Just a reminder to all, communication it down the list on things to do in an emergency situation. Fly the plane, worry about the headset latter. Glad all ended ok.

How far does the canopy stay open on tip-ups if open in flight? Must be quite a bit if headsets can get through.

I have taken off twice with the tipper canopy unlatched (early in my 6A experience). Both times I got to around 120 MPH in climb before noticing. The canopy lifted about 1" from the closed position with no tendency to lift more. Both times, I had to slow down to about 90 MPH or less in order to be able to latch it closed. Never got near cruise speed, so can't say what would happen then.

I can't recall if the safety latch was closed, but unlikely that it was, as I routinely close the main latch followed by the safety latch.

Larry