kaweeka

kaweeka

Well Known Member
Now that I have your attention, I am going to show my ignorance. Please be kind with your replies. Sooooooo, I got thinking a few months back about what it would be like to fly during the summer with my sliding canopy off the-9A. I ran it by a few of the Vans guys who were at the Mojave fly-in and got no objections. I haven't done it yet because I keep wondering about the aerodynamics. Will the windscreen create a bit negative pressure in the cockpit and fill with wind from around the sides and back? Will there be any adverse handling consequences? I have a tonneau cover over the baggage compartment. Any insight from those of you far smarter than I?
 
You're the test pilot......

Ever ridden in a convertible at 150 mph?

Try it and let us know how it works out. But leave the baggage cover at the hangar, it won't survive the flight.
 
Last edited:
hum....will the turbulence affect the airflow over the tail feathers? lose some rudder or elevator authority?
 
I just posted a vid of a runup, one with the canopy closed and 2500 RPM, and open 2500 RPM, funny, it was quieter with the canopy open :eek:
 
There is at least one RV-3 with open cockpit, It's yellow, was in Hawaii, and pics have been posted here somewhere.
I seem to recall an RV-4 with a convertible open cockpit and rear seat cover fairing as well.
I don't recall any RV-6 or 7 conversions...
 
kaweeka said:
Sooooooo, I got thinking a few months back about what it would be like to fly during the summer with my sliding canopy off the-9A.
Click to expand...

So I had a Pietenpol... I end up actually hating flying with the wind on my face for hours. Yeah, that romance wares very quickly. On the plus side, all my passengers absolutely loved it... all of them wanted to get back on the ground in under 20 minutes too. No seriously, they raved about how amazing it was. I sold it.

Let me save you a lot of hassle... Have your wife drive down the highway at 80mph. Open the window... stick your head out. If you like that, you'll like open cockpit. But I know you won't.

Oh, one odd thing I really did enjoy... hand propping. And it even has a starter. But for some reason I really loved how a hand propped engine sounds when it starts. And an O-200 is so easy to hand prop. It doesn't go wanwanwanwan like a baby that needs a bottle, it goes clucluclu-blm-blm-blm... That sound was so sweet. I always propped from behind... bit safer alone.
 
Last edited:
it is kink of a risk and reward thing. ill keep my top on thank you very much. :)
P1020294%20copy.jpg
 
I think I'll drop the thought and keep things as they are. There's always the window as suggested
 
not that bad???

well Dave, Google shows a topless -3, a -4 with two little windshields like a PT-22, and an -8 with no canopy at all.
I'm sure I read an article about a guy in Hawaii with a -6, and he simply made a big wedge that he covered the baggage area with and installed Dzus fasteners or something so he could swap it out in a few minutes. Said it flew fine....just slower, but hey, it would be for sight-seeing and photo taking anyway, right?

don't let anyone talk you out of what you want, unless it's illegal, immoral, or fattening! ( but beer doesn't count.... if you drink standing up!) :)
 
flyboy1963 said:
well Dave, Google shows a topless -3, a -4 with two little windshields like a PT-22, and an -8 with no canopy at all.
I'm sure I read an article about a guy in Hawaii with a -6, and he simply made a big wedge that he covered the baggage area with and installed Dzus fasteners or something so he could swap it out in a few minutes. Said it flew fine....just slower, but hey, it would be for sight-seeing and photo taking anyway, right?

don't let anyone talk you out of what you want, unless it's illegal, immoral, or fattening! ( but beer doesn't count.... if you drink standing up!) :)
Click to expand...

The aero engineer in me has to point out that the -3, -4, and -8 are all bubble canopy airplanes with no big turtleneck or baggage area to catch the wind like the side-by-sides....so using those as an example is not necessarily a good predictor for taking the canopy off of a 6,7, or 9.

Test pilot territory for sure!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.