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Forward or Back?

SHould the canopy knob be locked whe it is Forward, or Aft

  • Aft

    Votes: 3 6.0%

  • Forward

    Votes: 43 86.0%

  • You're Supposed to Lock the Canopy?

    Votes: 4 8.0%
  • Total voters
    50
Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
OK, so I am getting ready to add the canopy frame to the RV-3 cockpit, and have studied all of the RV-3 and -4 web sites I can find. Van?s design calls for a canopy latch that you pull back to lock and push forward to open. Lots of folks don?t like this, and have made a pretty easy modification to reverse the action ? forward is locked, back is open. Being an -8 driver, I of course twist to lock now. So here?s an easy poll (which I am sure will start a lively debate) ? forward to lock, or aft to lock ? that is the question! Comments on why your choice is the absolutely only way to build an airplane will be entertained. Lists of all the cool airplanes that have them in each direction will be educational.

Please keep it civil of course! :D

Paul
 
Forward

Not being familiar with the -3 and -4 latching mechanism, my only thought is this: Could a cuff of your sleeve catch on the knob and pull it forward, say while reaching towards the panel? If so, it seems like a lock-forward arrangement would be safer.
 
My vote is for forward locking.

Ready for flight? Everything goes forward; Canopy latch, throttle, mixture, prop.........
 
If the latch knob is mounted on the airframe, and not the canopy, yes forward.

If the knob is mounted on the canopy-------direction of movement, I.E. close and lock both forward, unlock an open both rearward.

I will send you a bill for the 2 cents:rolleyes:
 
Well, the 6, 6A, 7, 7A, 9 and 9A tip up all have forward latches. The latch on the three that is latched with a pull is just another one of those things that Van did and never looked back.
 
Foreward Ho!

I recall flying a few airliners that even carried the "forward to flight" routine to the switches on the overhead panel; ie: push switch forward to "on". It took some concentration to do this after flying Boeings for so long!
 
Mine is forward to unlock and I'm not 100% happy with it. It feels like it would be awkward to open in an emergency because openning the canopy under air pressure will probably be a two hand operation. One hand to move the latch and the other to push up on the frame/canopy. The 3 cockpit is so tight, that with the latch moved forward it kind of makes it harder find a grab point for your hand. I might switch mine one of these days.
 
One more bit of info

What direction are you used to on your car/truck???

Far as I know, any of them made in the last half century all move rearward to open.

In an emergency, you will react, so make things as instinctive as possible.
 
Mike S said:
What direction are you used to on your car/truck???

Far as I know, any of them made in the last half century all move rearward to open.

In an emergency, you will react, so make things as instinctive as possible.
Click to expand...

My truck without the canopy latch pulls inward to go outward..

onother .02 bill on the way..
 
Forward to close, forward to lock. Aft to open, aft to unlock. Most military airplanes I flew had that philosphy.
 
Paul, the Showplanes canopy kits for the -8 are "knob rearward to lock, forward to unlatch". I obsessed over it when building, but like most things it became "normal" after just a few flight hours.

 
Mel said:
...Ready for flight? Everything goes forward; Canopy latch, throttle, mixture, prop.........
Click to expand...

Much agreed. As Dad used to say: "all balls to the wall".

Tony Spicer said:
I can promise you that the hand is way faster than the brain.
Tony
Click to expand...

My hand sometimes bypasses my brain altogether. That's why I still reach for light switches even during power outages at home:eek:. I like the idea of the lanyard on the canopy latch!
 
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