Claustrophobia

[Mike6A]

I have a 6a and have no problems, a friend wanted to give me a ride in his 8 and i freaked out when he closed the canopy. Anybody else?

 

[[email protected]]

OH ya. I had a Cessna 206 for many years.
Sold before I bought an RV-6A.
Holy Batman!!!
My wife freaked out when I closed the canopy also.
Has never stepped foot in this airplane.
She was turning white and going I need to get out of here.
That was 3 years ago.

My luck Art

 

[Taltruda]

A friend of mine started taking a medication that had him feel claustrophobic in another friends -4. If you got that feeling in an -8, don’t ever sit in a -4!

Would it help if you tried sitting n the front of the -8 and you tried closing and opening the canopy yourself? Just to get used to it and see if the feelings are still there? Sorry I haven’t ever felt claustrophobia, so I don’t know if this helps or not for you to be in control of the opening/closing…

 

[Mike6A]

My first try was in his yak and that did not work.

 

[Taltruda]

My first try was in his yak and that did not work.

But in your -6a, no problem? How often do you fly? Perhaps someone else with this will chime in..

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Tight front office....

But in your -6a, no problem? How often do you fly? Perhaps someone else with this will chime in..

I can't help here. I wear my RV-4 like a glove and love the way it "fits". Closing the canopy completes the comfortable "hold" she has me in when we fly. I love the reassuring "clunk" I hear as I pull the canopy full closed from its taxi position. It is actually the most comfortable cockpit I've ever been in. But I was raised on Cubs.

I had a friend who had never been in any small airplane and HATED to fly even the Large Aluminum Tube Type. He is a tall man and had no problem in the back seat except he wanted to go see EVERYTHING! He was thrilled to have been up. Sent me a framed picture of him in the back seat with the word "MAGIC" engraved on it. If Brian can be back there.......

Want some claustrophobia? Crawl back into the rear fuselage of a -4 (or -3) to install the ADS-B antennae, secure the static lines, etc. Now THAT is a tight fit!

 

[N427EF]

RV-4, first ride

I well remember my first ride and first impression after getting into an RV-4.
At 5 foot 6" and 160lb, I was certainly not a large passenger but I distinctly remember the "tight feeling" I had when Bill Black, the pilot, closed the canopy.
I soon forgot that feeling after getting to play with the controls and cruising along with blistering speed.

I am not Claustrophobic, except in tight spaces....

 

[vinzer]

Claustrophobia What about Colomban Cri Cri driver in this picture ?

I started my flying in DA-20 which has relatively small cabin. Never had a claustrophobia but always felt somehow squeezed when sitting inside with instructor.

 

[rvaitor87]

Tight fit

I'm 6'2" and I slide right into the cockpit of my -3, and then strap it on. I wear the plane and it is an extension of me and my soul. Is it a tight fit? Not so much, but it will give you a good dose of closeness. I was very claustrophobic before I started flying the -3, but I found that flying with Jan B. it went away. I also found out that when I am in control (flying), I'm not claustrophobic. Maybe if you do some of the flying it will help. Try sitting in the plane and just pulling the canopy shut a little at a time. Or has someone has said, try the front seat first.

 

[esco]

Tight front office & claustrophibia

Claustrophobia happens, sometimes surprisingly.

My very similar experience was resolved by preop checks:
1. focusing on details, with canopy open, before takeoff:
where is altitude (RPM, MAP, ROC, OAT...) displayed?
what is "normal" Oil temp (fuel psi, fuel flow, CHT, EGT...)?

2. operating flight controls.

3. closing the canopy myself
reviewing location, operation of controls, gauges, etc.

Good Luck!

 

[rockwoodrv9]

I would not admit to Claustrophobia, but there are places I will not go. Caves, attics or under houses (unless armed so I can shoot my way out) or many other tight spots. I have to take a Valium to get into an MRI machine.

I would not get into the back of an 8 or a 4. My 9A is about as small as I care to get in. Be happy you are ok in your plane and forget about the rest! Have fun.

 

[Sam_B]

Tailcone riveting

I think for most folks who built theirs, if they can survive riveting the tail cone of an -8, they’re probably not going to have claustrophobia problems. I wasn’t sure if I could get out of there once I was in.

 

[bkc3921]

I feel your pain

I would not admit to Claustrophobia, but there are places I will not go.

Now, on to how to solve the problem. With absolutely NO empirical evidence to back this up, I recommend plenty of cool, fresh air be directed/blown onto the affected person. With me, warm, stale air makes the problem a hundred times worse. I feel suffocated.

Flying on cool, crisp days is the way to go....or maybe some type of portable/lightweight air conditioner (or substitute)...Just my 0.02.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Cool air in the back seat of a -4 or -8

Now, on to how to solve the problem. With absolutely NO empirical evidence to back this up, I recommend plenty of cool, fresh air be directed/blown onto the affected person. With me, warm, stale air makes the problem a hundred times worse. I feel suffocated. Flying on cool, crisp days is the way to go....or maybe some type of portable/lightweight air conditioner (or substitute)...Just my 0.02.

That might be why people seem to not have a problem being in the back seat of SuzieQ. I put a NACA intake vent on the underside of the right wing and plumbed it to a large back seat eyeball vent (I think it's 1 3/4") with a cable-controlled splitter box that limits how much air goes through the vent and can alternate between or be mixed with heated air. And, of course, the eyeball vent itself is adjustable. Get that thing wide open and it will blow your cap off!! Literally! Everybody who has been back there likes that! I can't say as I have never been in the back seat........well, not while it's flying, anyway.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Tight quarters....

I think for most folks who built theirs, if they can survive riveting the tail cone of an -8, they’re probably not going to have claustrophobia problems. I wasn’t sure if I could get out of there once I was in.

I've been in the back of the fuselage of both a -4 and a -8 (not a -3 or the side-by-sides). Having spent most of my fuselage time in the back of a -4, the -8 seemed like a bowling alley!

 

[KayS]

After finishing the rv7 I started to build an Hummel Ultracruiser. During the build process I realised that rv3 and 4 are very large aeroplanes. The back seat of an 8 is like flyimg business class.