Well I wondered about “what if I take off with canopy opened?” well, luckily absolutely nothing. RV7
Here's what transpired. 2 of us hanger in the same place. We were going to fly to another airport to meet up with another friend who was giving his coworker a first flight.
I got my RV started 1st and back taxied to the runway. (It's a narrow 1800' down hill private grass strip)(already on Vlad's approved grass strips) LOL, where I do my final before take off check list and engine run up. 2 places on my check list says canopy closed. And the last item on list reads canopy closed? Dummy?
And yes I closed the canopy but obviously forgot to lock it. Anyway the 2nd RV finally began to back taxi up to me. He then does his mag check, than asks me if I am ready and if is say yes he turns down the runway and takes off. When I see him lift tail I start down the runway. We climbed to 2000' and leveled out. Now we are doing 185 mph gs. He asks if I was in a hurry? Said no so we went to 100 mph as the 3rd RV we were meeting wasn't going to be there for another 30 min.
We were only 10 min away so we slowed way down. Now as soon as I land and 1st chance I feel safe I open my slider all the way. Besides it was 90 out side. As I reached for the bright RED handle and made contact with it, it just spun in a complete circle. I cant describe the feeling that comes over you when something like that happens because, luckily my brain took over and said “FLY THE PLANE!” (you can check your drawers AFTER you slow to a controlled safe stop. Its a tail dragger and I was still moving a good clip. Well it wasn't locked and was opened about 1-1/2”. In hindsight, I didn't notice anything different in the 20 min flight. So, I don't have to worry anymore about, what if...canopy.... all I can say is If you notice this on your take off or shortly after...FLY THE PLANE. (this means on take off roll if you notice an un-locked canopy, don't panic!! do you have enough runway left to safely stop. And by the time you think and make up your mind, you wont have! So fly the plane normally and fly the pattern as you always have and land, close/lock clean pants if required and DON'T do it again, you will probably. From my experience, nothing is going to happen except when you brag to your fellow RV'ers how you save your airplane etc.
Fred
Here's what transpired. 2 of us hanger in the same place. We were going to fly to another airport to meet up with another friend who was giving his coworker a first flight.
I got my RV started 1st and back taxied to the runway. (It's a narrow 1800' down hill private grass strip)(already on Vlad's approved grass strips) LOL, where I do my final before take off check list and engine run up. 2 places on my check list says canopy closed. And the last item on list reads canopy closed? Dummy?
And yes I closed the canopy but obviously forgot to lock it. Anyway the 2nd RV finally began to back taxi up to me. He then does his mag check, than asks me if I am ready and if is say yes he turns down the runway and takes off. When I see him lift tail I start down the runway. We climbed to 2000' and leveled out. Now we are doing 185 mph gs. He asks if I was in a hurry? Said no so we went to 100 mph as the 3rd RV we were meeting wasn't going to be there for another 30 min.
We were only 10 min away so we slowed way down. Now as soon as I land and 1st chance I feel safe I open my slider all the way. Besides it was 90 out side. As I reached for the bright RED handle and made contact with it, it just spun in a complete circle. I cant describe the feeling that comes over you when something like that happens because, luckily my brain took over and said “FLY THE PLANE!” (you can check your drawers AFTER you slow to a controlled safe stop. Its a tail dragger and I was still moving a good clip. Well it wasn't locked and was opened about 1-1/2”. In hindsight, I didn't notice anything different in the 20 min flight. So, I don't have to worry anymore about, what if...canopy.... all I can say is If you notice this on your take off or shortly after...FLY THE PLANE. (this means on take off roll if you notice an un-locked canopy, don't panic!! do you have enough runway left to safely stop. And by the time you think and make up your mind, you wont have! So fly the plane normally and fly the pattern as you always have and land, close/lock clean pants if required and DON'T do it again, you will probably. From my experience, nothing is going to happen except when you brag to your fellow RV'ers how you save your airplane etc.
Fred
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