Availability of Emergency Release Canopies?

[B-Binns]

Guys: quick question. I had wondered about this previously, but had never posted. But some of the responses to DR's safety letter made me want to get an actual answer. Why do I never hear about builders of RVs installing an Emergency Release Canopy. I'm sure it requires a fair amount of re-design from what comes standard with the kits, but with so many really talented builders / designers / structural trouble-shooters . . . I'm surprised the option of an (ERC) for the RV series has not been created . . . most other aerobatic aircraft, whether advanced or just trainers have them (or emergency release doors, if not canopies), so why not the RV-series??? Thanks in advance.

[kevinh]

I did a 'fairly quick' release canopy. For my slider canopy I can pull the two pins holding the canopy to the track and then open the latch and I'm sure it will be gone shortly thereafter ;-).

The pins replace the standard AN3 bolts that connect the wheel assembly to the frame.

[Mel]

Actually the RV-6 has had an emergency canopy jettison feature as part of the standard kit from the beginning. Just because people choose not to install it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Of course since the addition of "struts", it isn't really practical anymore.
I don't like the struts and I DO like my canopy release, so mine is one of the few still around.

[DCat22]

Originally Posted by Mel

Of course since the addition of "struts", it isn't really practical anymore.

Side note...as I was learning how to take the doors off the Remos GX a few weeks ago, I noticed the struts they use have a semi-quick release. ie. you pull back a little wire tab keeper and the strut ends pop right off the ball. I think if you pulled hard they would just come off without pulling the release.

Something I was going to look more into when I got that far, along with changing the release handle a bit -- so I could have a strutted tip-up without a big bar on the panel middle, but still with a canopy eject option. (In theory.) Pull both struts off with both hands at once, twist handle, and go -- and have the struts more likely to disconnect in the event you don't do it first.

Just talking outloud of course...I'm not even building yet.

[lancef53]

Does the tail survive the jettison? Does it matter at that point? Has there been many times a plane was abandoned?

[panhandler1956]

Originally Posted by kevinh

I did a 'fairly quick' release canopy. For my slider canopy I can pull the two pins holding the canopy to the track and then open the latch and I'm sure it will be gone shortly thereafter ;-).

The pins replace the standard AN3 bolts that connect the wheel assembly to the frame.

I have an -8 with the exact same setup.

[D-Dubya]

Lance, we asked one of the guys at Van's that very question a few years back. At the time, we were debating whether or not to put the canopy jettison T-handle on a couple of tip-up canopy RV-7s we were building. They said that to their knowledge, nobody had ever jettisoned a tip-up canopy in flight.

Now for my two cents... The struts would likely break away after they caught the air stream, assuming that the "gooseneck" hinge arms were able to come up out of their hinged positions. The skin is going to try to keep those arms down. Properly motivated , one could probably shove the tip-up canopy rear edge up and back until the wind would get up under the canopy and pull the whole thing off. Of course, this is all conjecture on my part.

Like so many other things, you just need to do what you feel comfortable with.

[N941WR]

As someone who did a test flight with his tip-up unlocked, I would imagine that you could get out in flight, if you had to. The canopy floats open about 2 to 4 inches and if you slowed the plane down, you could push it open enough.

As for the goose necks, if you want the canopy to come off in flight, you are supposed to cut some slots in top skins, over the goose necks. A little tape will keep rain out.

As for the struts, if the wind got under the front of the canopy, those things are just going to pull out just before the canopy hits the VS.

The bigger question is, why isn't there a way to open the tip-up from the outside? The standard setup has the latch on the left side and the overhead twist handle. While a rescuer could get the side latch open, there is no way to turn the twist handle.

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by D-Dubya

Lance, we asked one of the guys at Van's that very question a few years back. At the time, we were debating whether or not to put the canopy jettison T-handle on a couple of tip-up canopy RV-7s we were building. They said that to their knowledge, nobody had ever jettisoned a tip-up canopy in flight.

Now for my two cents... The struts would likely break away after they caught the air stream, assuming that the "gooseneck" hinge arms were able to come up out of their hinged positions. The skin is going to try to keep those arms down. Properly motivated , one could probably shove the tip-up canopy rear edge up and back until the wind would get up under the canopy and pull the whole thing off. Of course, this is all conjecture on my part.

Like so many other things, you just need to do what you feel comfortable with.

I don't think you would ever get the tipup canopy open far enough to leave the plane. I've taken off with the canopy unlatched and once it gets into its slipstream position about 4" inches open, it is extremely difficult to move. It is possible to move it a bit easier if the plane is slowed to flap speed, but what are the chances we could do that in emergency conditions so dire somebody wants to leave the aircraft?

[Jamie]

I don't think the struts are the factor limiting the ability to jettison the tip-up canopies. A swift pull on the struts removes the strut from the canopy and/or canopy deck. It would just need to be a checklist item before bailing out.