L

lucky

Well Known Member
Just curious if the door opened up completely, how the aircraft flew, how draggy it became (did it severly affect top speed) and if it affected overall controllability.

Also, is anyone experiencing their front baggage door lock 'slipping' over time with respect to the arm that holds the 2 tubes being held in place by just the non-keyed method of the back screw into the body of the lock? If so, how did you permanently fix it?

thx,
lucky
 
What me!

OK time to eat a little crow. Hopefully it helps others.

Yes I have had my baggage door open in flight. Immediately reduced speed to about 90 MPH, was doing about 135 MPH when it opened. Did not affect flying at all at these speeds. Would not want to experience it at 200 plus as I don't think the outcome would be the same.

I was very lucky, no damage at all. Baggage door locked is part of preflight now(as it should have been before). I never close the baggage door now without locking it. If it's unlocked, it is all the way open. When I close it I lock it.

Really scared the **** out of me when it happened. Definately make it part of your preflight check. I even check it from the pilots seat after run up before closing the canopy for flight.

Ted
 
Ted RV8 said:
Baggage door locked is part of preflight now(as it should have been before). I never close the baggage door now without locking it. If it's unlocked, it is all the way open. When I close it I lock it.
Click to expand...

Can I get an amen! Ditto what Ted said. If you open it, leave it wide open; if you close it, lock it.

I'm guilty of having this happen to me while freight hauling in a hose-nose Cessna 310; a courier pulled the bags from the nose compartment and lowered the door but didn't latch it. It was O'dark thirty and I missed it during a quick walk around since my normal habit was to close and lock it. Yep, it blew open on takeoff right at liftoff... no damage done, but scared the cr@p outta me.

Regarding the door lock longevity, mine is still holding tight and secure, so far...
 
My lock mechanism is as tight now as it was 760+ hours ago....and I am also in the "if it is closed, it is locked!" camp...

Paul
 
...or put a spring loaded actuator on the door that holds it open nicely when unlatched! :)
 
one key

My ignition key is the same as the door key. When I unlock the door, the key stays in the door until relocked. A simple habit pattern, but there have been a few times all strapped in, ready to crank, and......."oops, I'll be right back"
 
My lock tubes started to slip...

when I closed the door. The screw wasn't loose but the washer under it was no longer satsifactorily securing it from slipping. I just had the plane painted and I think some of the paint that got into the plastic block receiving holes might have increased the friction on the tubes enough to cause them to put enough pressure on the star washer to strip it. So it can happen and it gave the appearance of being totally locked.
 
Planning for my old age...

Some would say I'm already there, so in anticipation of the eventual failure to latch my baggage door I installed a leaf switch on the rear latch. The leaf is bent with a small dogleg on the end that contacts the latch pin tube (which I filled with a small balsa plug epoxied in place).

When the door is properly latched the latch pin opens the switch which turns off the annunciator LED.

While I hope never to use this; the door latch is impossible to see from the cockpit, so I thought it better to build this in now knowing I'll forget it sooner or later.

If anyone wants pictures of the switch, send me a PM with your email address.
 
How about this. Got the idea from a friend of mine who had his door open in flight. I've got a long purple ribbon that's connected to one of the bulkhead screws inside the compartment, and simply streams down to the ground if the door is unlocked. Can't miss it on pre-flight. When the door is locked, the ribbon is tucked inside ( doesn't take any room)
 
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