RV6: Opening the tip-up from the outside

[Leonard_Smith_nz]

All,

The Civil Aviation Authority (New Zealand body) inspected my aircraft yesterday. The gentleman commented on the inability to open the tip-up from the outside (e.g. in an emergency) due to the swivel handle that locks itself under the roll bar.

I can't say that I've given this much consideration up 'till this point. Safety issues aside, there's still the concern that one could close the canopy, walk away from the aircraft and the handle may inadvertently turn by itself (e.g. if it's a little loose) and I'm stuck not being able to get into my own aircraft.

How are other dealing with this issue?

Leonard
ZK-VRV (RV6 in New Zealand)

[zilik]

Originally Posted by Leonard_Smith_nz

All,

The Civil Aviation Authority (New Zealand body) inspected my aircraft yesterday. The gentleman commented on the inability to open the tip-up from the outside (e.g. in an emergency) due to the swivel handle that locks itself under the roll bar.

I can't say that I've given this much consideration up 'till this point. Safety issues aside, there's still the concern that one could close the canopy, walk away from the aircraft and the handle may inadvertently turn by itself (e.g. if it's a little loose) and I'm stuck not being able to get into my own aircraft.

How are other dealing with this issue?

Leonard
ZK-VRV (RV6 in New Zealand)

Leonard, Does this mean your close to flying????? Yahoo!!!!

Gary Zilik

[philcam]

Running in fact. One sunny south Texas afternoon I flew to a near by airport to catch up with some friends and do some "hanger flying."

On guy had a tip up -6. He was parked on the ramp and the row of hangers we where hanging out in didn't face the ramp or runway. His battery went bad, but he was only about 10 nm from his home airport in severe clear VFR weather. The guy decided to tie his tail down and hand prop the plane. Alone. Canopy is wide open, tail tied down. He gets the engine started, but the prop wash blew the canopy closed and locked. Talk about Murphy's Law. When he came walking back around to the hanger we wondered what he'd forgot. Then he tells the story of his locked RV sitting on the ramp running, tail tied down with no one in the cockpit. All sorts of ideas on how to turn the thing off were invented, including draining or siphoning the tanks.

Being very forgetful myself, I'm prone to locking my keys in my truck and have figured out how to use the radio antenna on the truck, slide it between the door and cab to pop the electric locks. In the end, we ended up taking a radio antenna off the only truck at the airport at the time, and bending the heck out of it to make a RV Slim Jim and popping the canopy latch.

I?m sure by this point in the story, everyone reading this has their B.S. meter pegged off the scale. The RV has since been sold, but I swear the story is true and have witnesses to back it up!

[dan]

Originally Posted by Leonard_Smith_nz

...the handle may inadvertently turn by itself (e.g. if it's a little loose) and I'm stuck not being able to get into my own aircraft.

My upper handle rotates pretty freely. I've always wondered the same thing, but it hasn't been an issue. The handle is well enough "balanced" and there's just enough friction in the bushing block that I don't see how it could just turn on its own.

If you are concerned about it, you could add friction to that system by wrapping the tube with something, or reaming your own bushing block to a very close tolerance. I'm sure there are other ways.

[Mel]

If I remember right my plans called for a bent washer on the shaft to add friction. Mine has never been a problem in 13 years.
Mel...DAR

[Leonard_Smith_nz]

Originally Posted by zilik

Leonard, Does this mean your close to flying????? Yahoo!!!!

Gary Zilik

Hi Gary,

Yip, we're nearly there. Should get the papers this week...Possibly first flight the weekend...very excited as you'll imagine!

If all goes well, I'll have to (finally) read Doug's 'How to' on inserting images.

Leonard

[GaryK]

Leonard,
I didn't like the setup for opening the tip-up. The handle in Vans plans is located on the left side of the canopy skirt. The tip-ups are flexible while opening and I didn't like the amount of side to side (unstable) motion. My solution was to purchase a slider handle and mount it to the internal tip up handle. The tip up handle needed to have the rod extended so it would extend through the canopy. The slider handle is then mounted, drilled and tapped. I found a perfect rubber washer that seals the canopy where the rod extends through it. I will take a picture and post it.


Regards,
Gary