Emergency Egress

[tonyjohnson]

The Army has been using this knife for its aircrews since about 2004:


http://www.olive-drab.com/od_edged_w...tools_asek.php

There is a point on the metal end of the handle that is not shown in the picture. That point is used to break canopy glass. If the beating the canopy with the point does not break it, you used the point to score the canopy so that it can be more easily broken. I have not used it for that purpose and I hope the Army tested it well (I assume they did) before deciding to issue it for the purpose of emergeny egress from an aircraft.

I bought one on ebay (shop around there are several vendors). I removed the John Wayne looking staps and put the knife, in its sheath which also holds the separate strap cutter, in my flight bag. I hope that I never have to use it, but I feel better having it.

[rzbill]

Originally Posted by rv6ejguy

If the windshield flexed enough to hit me in the face, it would have to come right out of the frame at that energy level (bird strike at 150 knots).

For your slider windshield, true. The longer mounting spans of the tip up will let the lexan flex, though.

Originally Posted by rv6ejguy

For egress upside down in an RV, I want plexi because you are screwed with Lexan unless you have some serious type of saw. You cannot break it with any sort of hammer you could carry- ever.

I think Van's makes the best choice on RVs using Plexi.

An anecdotal note about breaking Lexan, in agreement with Ross above. I use a 3' square piece of 1/4" lexan for chopping barbeque. This is with the BIG heavy meat cleavers too, not the ones from your local mall. They are sharp as a razor and weigh about 3 lbs each. All I get is slight scratches on the surface of the lexan.

[rv6ejguy]

I might add that Lexan fractures at about 10% elongation at room temperature. Yes, on a tip up with little support in the front half, I could see a large deflection happening after a bird strike.

[CNEJR]

Originally Posted by rfinch

In all this talk about canopies, I think we're missing another potential exit: the aluminum floor bottom, which in a tip-over is now pointed skyward. Not blocked, not super tough, maybe kickable.

I always like it when someone brings humor to the forum. This was meant "in humor" wasn't it? I can't even imagine trying to do this. Better build that fuse and take a good look at it before you think this might work.